Snowy Days
by Arigazi
Summary: SEQUEL to Soft Kiss. COMPLETE. Two years after the Sparticus incident, things are about to get messy once again. Ryo's been developing new powers and Seiji is reconsidering. Problems arise with vampires, spirits, and, of course, angels.
1. The Snow Storm

Warnings: All the usual warnings of guy/guy relationships. yawns You don't like it, don't read it etc. waves hand casually Oh, and my characters are mainly Orion and Zoë, but you can't have any of the others that are introduced in these either! sniffle I know you may like them, but sniffle No touchie!  
  
A/N: Hey! I haven't put this out in a while mainly because I was waiting for some more reviews. sniffle Even though I didn't get that many I'm still really appreciative of the ones I did get. The other reason it took me so long to come out with this was because it's a bitch to fix my writing so it isn't all screwed up when I post it. Anyone whose written a story can tell you it is a bit confusing and doesn't always come out right so... I had a bit of adjusting to do and I was too lazy to do it before. I suppose I should clarify something someone reviewed to me about. An OC is an original character. That means, I made them up and that's what no one can take and use as their own.  
  
I love all of my reviewers! Thank you, especially the ones that responded to my poll!  
  
Az-Strawberry: Thanks for the lovely comments.  
  
silverwyvern(): Thanks to you for urging me into putting out the next part. I wouldn't have bothered without reviewers like you. And you're right. It's not wise to mess with Zoë and we see that throughout this next part. I'm really happy you like Orion because he's going to be a much bigger part of the story.  
  
Bunch-o-Nuts: You're right. I did rush through the last chapter a bit and as I look back on it I add a few things and realize I could have made it longer, but that's just how I did it. Some fight scenes drag on and some are short and concise, but I'm glad you liked it. I think that was my practice and this was what I put most of my effort into. This part is the one I tended to stay up until the wee hours of the morning typing and I made it –in my opinion- somewhat good. Hopefully, you'll like it as much as the last.  
  
darksolitude(): I appreciate your compliment and it's okay if you haven't reviewed before, just as long as you review now. smile  
  
Maxine(): If I could have hugged you for the warm feeling your review gave me, I would have. I'm glad Ryo's your favorite character too because he's mine as well, but I hope you like my OC's. I trust you'll like this part too because you're the reason it came out just now.

A/N: Just a quick thing. When people think to themselves it comes out in _italics._ When they are speaking through their mind to another it comes out 'like this'. And when they are talking, it comes out "like this of course". Thank you and enjoy!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The dream ended too soon for him. He had been soaring through the gorgeous white clouds, but now he was on the floor of his apartment, wrapped in his sheet.  
  
Why did these dreams of flying plague him so? He had to stop lying to himself. He knew the reason they plagued him. He couldn't think about that though. Ryo belonged to Seiji; he wasn't single anymore. He had lost his chance.  
  
Yuli glanced at his alarm clock which had gone off an hour and a half ago, he gasped and sat up quickly.  
  
"I'm late!" He yelled and jumped up to get dressed. He wore the only white clean shirt he could find with a plaid over-shirt and black jeans. He was supposed to have left earlier because of the storm Ryo had warned him about. If Yuli was going to make it to the party he was going to have to leave early, around five.  
  
He was dashing into the kitchen only one arm in his over shirt, his pants zipper open and falling off, and a cookie in his mouth, when he realized his window was open and his angel stood leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, an eyebrow raised in bemusement.  
  
Yuli stopped moving completely and just stared at him. A smirk played across the angel's face, he was in his usual baggy Arabian pants and tight black shirt, only now a long gray scarf decorated his neck and big thick gloves were on his hands.  
  
Yuli couldn't move. Ryo's gaze was heavily upon him with a mild humor to the situation.  
  
"Ryo!" Yuli mumbled through the cookie.  
  
"I got worried when you didn't show up." Ryo whispered, listening to Yuli stutter something about an alarm clock and a weird dream, while he walked up to Yuli with a kind smile.  
  
"I, uh..."  
  
Ryo took the cookie from Yuli's mouth and put it aside.  
  
He had banished his wings before Yuli had seen him near the window, but Ryo obviously had flown in.  
  
He lifted Yuli's shirt and buttoned his pants with gentle hands, then closed the zipper. Yuli gasped, but Ryo didn't seem to notice.  
  
Ryo pulled both shirts off Yuli and turned the white shirt right side out. Yuli laughed at his stupidity. Ryo put the shirt over Yuli's head again then helped him put on the over shirt with both arms this time. Afterward, he fixed the collar and sighed with relief at the altered appearance.  
  
Yuli smiled. He felt foolish. As if he still needed his mother to dress him and tell him his left shoe was supposed to go on the left foot.  
  
"Sorry." He sighed and Ryo ran his hand through Yuli's unruly brown hair.  
  
"You cut your hair." Ryo whispered staring at the neck length hair, flaring in every direction with the help of gel from the day before and bed hair combined. Yuli nodded leaning into the touch.  
  
"Do you like it?" Yuli asked sighing. Ryo pulled his hand away and smiled momentarily.  
  
"You look really good." Ryo replied, repeating what Yuli had said to him one year ago, when he had asked the same question. "We should get moving." Yuli nodded and made a grab for the cookie, but Ryo tossed it onto a plate with the rest. "We're having breakfast with the others remember?"  
  
Yuli nodded, he stood no taller than Ryo, but he always thought Ryo was more beautiful. He was always stronger, better looking, and smarter. Yuli had taken fighting classes to better his abilities and cut his hair to fit the style of the ages, but still Ryo looked so much better, following no such rules of style. Ryo's body was perfectly toned, and yet, no matter how hard Yuli tried, he could get no such results from his own body.  
  
Yuli had tried to be really smart, and he was. He had graduated high school a few months earlier with honors. Though...  
  
Ryo had more street smarts than Yuli, he was still stronger even without the power of being a Ronin, and his style disobeyed every fashion and rule that teenagers had. His black hair, he had cut to his back, unevenly, with silver strands brightening all his features.  
  
The silver was natural though, like Orion's hair was normally silver. He would never have gray hair, only silver no matter how long he lived. Zo's hair was blonde, because she was still young, but it was turning a shade of dark gold.  
  
"I remember." Yuli smiled. "Are we... flying?" He gulped slowly as Ryo nodded and guided him to the window of the three storey building. It was about six o'clock in the morning, and they had to hurry if Ryo was going to be able to leave under the shade of dark.  
  
"Yuli?" Ryo raised an eyebrow, but his voice remained calm and alert. "Are you afraid?"  
  
"Yes." Yuli admitted and wrapped his arms around Ryo. He closed his eyes while he felt Ryo's warm embrace and sighed.  
  
Heavenly...  
  
"You don't have to be afraid." Ryo whispered into his ear as Yuli clung to his chest.  
  
"I'm not afraid as long as I'm with you." Yuli replied and felt Ryo's muscles contract and flex and he knew that Ryo had called his wings from his body.  
  
"Hold onto me. The winds are rough just now. The snow storm is coming, this is not the best morn to travel to the Skies." Ryo heard Yuli whimper slightly. "I have you." Ryo whispered reassuringly in his gentlest tone and Yuli looked up to him quickly.  
  
"Ryo, I..." He started.  
  
"You better grab a coat for the journey." He let Yuli go and his friend grabbed a thick coat. It was about twenty degrees out there and getting colder. After Yuli came out of the closet he realized Ryo only had his thin garments and the scarf and gloves for warmth.  
  
"What about you? I have another coat." Yuli started to go back into the closet, but Ryo was suddenly next to him shutting the door.  
  
"Do I feel cold to you?" He asked softly and pulled his glove off, touching his hand to Yuli's face again.  
  
"No, you feel divinely warm." He sighed and grabbed hold of his hand kissing the palm, then licking it, and moving down his wrist. He could feel the inferno of blood beneath Ryo's skin, and suddenly realized what he was doing. When he looked into Ryo's blazing tiger eyes, he himself, was blushing furiously. "I..." He tried to finish the sentence, but couldn't. "I'm s..." Ryo held Yuli's neck with his hand, as his lips ghosted over Yuli's cheek.  
  
The youth was shocked, but soon leaned into the warmth, dropping his coat, forgetting the time, all he thought of was Ryo's incredible and delectable mouth over his skin.  
  
Ryo pulled away.  
  
"Don't say you're sorry for anything. You should never be sorry for having feelings for someone. I wish you had told me before. Now pick up your coat, I don't need one. Let's go before Orion comes for us, worried."  
  
Yuli picked up his coat pulling it on and walked after Ryo. The sky was covered with dark clouds, the sun wouldn't be rising any time soon.  
  
As Yuli wrapped his arms around Ryo's neck, his thighs clenching over Ryo's sides, and they jumped out the window, the first flakes of pure white snow started to fall.

"Stop the snow from falling! Please Master! Lord Ryo is still out there! He's flying in this! Please, Master, please stop the snow!" A little girl complained running into the open platform, across the red carpet of elfin silk threads wound together.  
  
Orion sat in a large chair at the end of the room, scowling. His long hair down to his thighs was down and shining in the bright candlelight that lit the room like the sun would have if it were out.  
  
Zoë stood next to him leaning on the arm of his chair he wasn't resting on. She walked over to the little girl and knelt down in front of her.  
  
"Shh! Chandria, that is a fable. Angels are unable to control the weather." Zoë soothed the child as she started to cry.  
  
"My mummy says that there is a great angel who is able to control rain and snow and could stop it simply with a gesture of their hand!" She cried out.  
  
"Listen here child...!" Orion shouted frustrated.  
  
"Orion." Zoë whispered sternly, standing up.  
  
"My mummy doesn't lie! Now stop the snow, Master! You have to! _Master_!"  
  
"I would if I could, but I can not! It is not within my power to do such a task!"  
  
"But my mummy...!"  
  
"Your mother told you a story about a warrior called Arigazi, previous Ruler of the Skies! She died little more than a year ago! No one has been borne since her birth that has been able to control the weather like her and she was the oldest of us!"  
  
"But surely there must be some Ancient who can..." Chandria clenched her small hands into fists, but Orion was quick to reply.  
  
"I am the oldest of all the Ancients and I can not control the weather!" Orion shouted quieting the child for only a moment.  
  
"What about Lord Ryo!?" She cried, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Lord Ryo can take care of himself. He will arrive soon! Zoë, take the child from here before I am forced to!"  
  
Zoë didn't question Orion, she just picked Chandria up and walked out of the room quickly.  
  
_Oh, little Cherub! Where are you?_ Orion rested his head on his hand scowling.

"Ryo!" Yuli screamed as a strong gust of wind and snow blinded Ryo and pushed Yuli from behind him.  
  
Ryo covered his eyes from the onslaught and dove for Yuli.  
  
Yuli couldn't see anything except white. He closed his eyes, he could hear only the sound of the Earth coming closer and closer, but then warmth enveloped him and he opened his eyes to Ryo again. Now he laid in Ryo's safe warm arms. Even in this freezing cold he was still warm, though Yuli could tell his temperature had gone down drastically.  
  
Ever since the blizzard started getting heavier and the snow got thicker, objects started flying through the air carried by the strong winds. They had mostly hit Ryo, and it didn't much help they were headed against the wind.  
  
Yuli wrapped his arms securely around Ryo's shoulders and nuzzled his face into Ryo's neck, which was very warm because of the scarf.  
  
The scarf was pulled up so it covered Ryo's mouth and nose, but there was nothing to protect his beautiful eyes. He didn't even blink when the snow hit him, his bare arms were wet and shivering, but he didn't seem to notice. They were strong and held fast to Yuli.  
  
"Maybe we should stop for a while and let the snow ease up." Yuli shouted over the loud wind and snow.  
  
"This is nothing. Only the beginning, I'm afraid. Waiting would be a mistake! The worst is yet to come. Sleep now little angel and when you awake we will be in our new home."  
  
Yuli didn't want to sleep, but he smiled suddenly feeling as if a spell from Ryo's soft voice was pulling him under. He was warm and safe in Ryo's hands and soon to be with his friends again.  
  
He had seen the Ronins less and less since Ryo had become a member of the Skies council. He wasn't around that much and it effected his attitude, leaving him with nothing to do while Ryo was gone.  
  
He figured moving up to the Skies chateau with Ryo, he would be around him more. All this circled his head until sleep finally did pull him under its' control.

Orion bit into his thumb as he watched Ryo's friends fill the room. Seven of them in total: Seiji, Sye, Kento, Rowen, Cale, Sekmet, and Dais. They all held worried expressions and questioning eyes, but Orion didn't have answers for them. They all stayed silent and sat down on solid oak benches, that were long enough to cover half a football field.  
  
After Ryo had been gone for two hours Orion had changed the meal time to lunch, knowing that Ryo would be tired when he returned.  
  
Zoë was on his left side again and now sat on the arm of his chair her eyes steadily on him.  
  
He wore a thin black sleeveless shirt, a white scarf, very long in the back, a pair of tight dress pants, and a jeweled, black waist coat.  
  
Merely for the occasion he also wore a long black cloak over it all.  
  
Suddenly... he felt it.  
  
He looked up quickly with wide eyes to the door. Zoë stared at him worriedly, then she heard it too. She looked at the door with hope coloring her face.  
  
The only outside entrance to the room was connected to an outdoor garden, which was covered in snow.  
  
The Ronins saw the angels staring at the door and stood up from the bench. Orion's sensitive ears picked up Ryo's breath and his nose found that lovely scent and he leapt from the chair –clearing the room- and landed mere feet from the door.  
  
The Ronins ran after him as did Zoë.  
  
Ryo stumbled into the room with a burst of snow with three teenage fledgling angels behind him. His skin looked three shades lighter than it should have been, he was shivering, but still standing up straight. He leaned onto a column to the left of the door breathing heavily.  
  
They all gawked at him for a moment not wanting to touch him just yet, as if he were a ghost and the slightest movement could make him disappear. Yuli lay in his arms asleep and cuddled up to his neck. Ryo's hair was covered in snow so much it looked almost completely white, his wings were scratched and bleeding in several places, and they shivered horribly. Ryo smiled underneath his scarf, his face lightening with a little chuckle.  
  
"Please!" Ryo begged. "Take him from me." He sighed and with a wave of Orion's hand all three angels took Yuli from Ryo hurriedly and brought him out of the flat to one of the many rooms. Orion walked up to Ryo with love and worry in his eyes.  
  
"Ryo?" Orion questioned as Ryo's legs buckled and he fell onto Orion. The Ronins gathered around.  
  
"Is he alright?" Seiji prompted.  
  
"Stay back." Orion ordered and they reluctantly took a step back.  
  
Orion called his power to him and banished Ryo's wings; another one of his powers.  
  
Now he embraced Ryo fully into his warmth and pulled down his scarf. Ryo's lips were blue, his breath was shallow, and with one touch to his head Orion could tell Ryo had a bad fever.  
  
Orion called many servants to him and ordered them each to do several things:  
  
"Fetch some warm water and cloths. Bring extra comforters and blankets to my room. Zoë, delay the feast until tomorrow. Light all the fire places. Keep the chateau above seventy degrees in temperature. No angels shall leave in this blizzard. Call back all the warriors on guard, and have everyone return to their rooms. This blizzard is going to get nothing but worse. Ronins, follow me if you will."  
  
Orion stood up carrying Ryo in his arms. He led the Ronins straight to his room where they all found a seat near the bed.  
  
Ryo lay on the bed as three female angels –dressed in fine clothes for servants- came into the room with extra blankets, warm and cold water bowls and several cloths. They put this all on a large table and left.  
  
Orion put Ryo down gently and left the room quickly after lighting a strong fire.  
  
"I must take care of many things. I will have more water and cloths sent up later. Take anything you like from my dresser. Please watch over him." They all nodded. After Orion left, Sye stood up and went over to Ryo.  
  
"Rowen, Cale, help me with him."  
  
Rowen and Cale walked quickly to the bed and started helping Ryo out of the wet clothes. Seiji walked over to the dresser on the side of the room near the closed window and searched through it for something warm Ryo could wear.  
  
He found a long sleeved shirt of cotton, and silk pants.  
  
After they had taken off all of his clothes, they dried him with the feather soft towels, and dressed him in the dry clothes. Then they threw another comforter over him, and Cale took a cloth and dipped it in the cold water. He sat on the bed next to Ryo and dabbed his forehead with it.  
  
A while later Ryo started moving around uncomfortably, but not waking. Another four hours, and the Ronins were all asleep, staying that way for a while.  
  
Ryo woke from his feverish nightmare sweating profusely and gasping for breath. He smiled seeing his friends near him, but he didn't see one glass of water for his extremely parched throat.  
  
With the grace of an angel, he leapt of the bed and with the grace of an ogre, stumbled to the floor without a sound. He realized that he couldn't move at all now, he was so weak. He stopped moving suddenly seeing a slim white hand in front of his face. It looked darker with the light from the fire being the only thing lighting the room, but looking up he could tell that it was Orion.  
  
'Come, Cherub. Let's take our leave of this stuffy room.' He whispered psychically. Ryo took his hand and they walked out of the room. Orion took Ryo for a stroll down the temperate corridors.  
  
"You haven't called me Cherub for at least a year now." He sighed leaning onto Orion's shoulder and they stopped walking to talk.  
  
"You are stretching yourself too thin, Ryo. You can not live two lives. It makes you more susceptible to illness and gives you less energy. Look at your beautiful eyes. You have circles under them from lack of sleep. It seemed like a good idea at first, but you can not keep this double life up much longer. I am truly afraid for you, Ryo." Orion wrapped his arms securely around Ryo.  
  
"I will stay here then, with you and Zoë."  
  
This shocked Orion, but he was also thrilled at the prospect.  
  
"I will miss my friends dearly, but I can always visit them. I feel I've grown more since being here and being around you all makes me so happy." He sighed and rested his head on Orion's shoulder. "You are so warm." He kissed Orion's neck momentarily.  
  
"What will Seiji think of your decision? Do you not love him and wish to be with him?" "I do, but we have grown apart now and my love for him is no greater now than the love I have for the others. Do you not want me here?" Ryo opened his eyes slightly staring at the stone wall, tiredly.  
  
Orion pulled Ryo off him and stared at him angrily. "I will always want you here. You inspire everyone of the fledglings to work harder and you give courage to the warriors on guard. You teach your skills to the swordsmen and are very talented in archery as well. Your beauty surpasses that of any other in the world –no the universe. I love you, Ryo, I just don't want you to make a decision that you will regret later. The last thing I want is for you to be unhappy."  
  
"Orion..." Ryo unhesitatingly allowed Orion to take his face in his hands and cover his mouth with his own. Orion's lips were warm, his brow moist with sweat, his aged and weathered eyes, full of worry and love.  
  
The kiss didn't last long, but it put a smile and light blush on Ryo's face increasing his already flushed skin.  
  
"Come out, Zoë!" Orion called turning his face to the next corner. He held Ryo's hand in his and put one arm around the shorter man's shoulders.  
  
Zoë walked around the corner smiling fully and walked up to them.  
  
Ryo felt like he wasn't even really seeing her. Dizziness was taking him. He leaned on Orion's chest staring at Zoë blankly, not really caring if she had seen them.  
  
"I am sorry for eavesdropping, Orion, but I could hardly help it. Please don't be angered."  
  
Orion shook his head smiling. "You rascal. I'm not angry. Ryo?" Orion caught his companion as he fell and Zoë just sighed as Orion picked him up. "The fever's taken him again."  
  
"Too bad your healing power doesn't work on illnesses like this. He looks perfectly dreadful." Zoë paused in thought. "I'll clear those Ronins out of your room and take them all down for food. That should leave you some time alone with Ryo."  
  
Orion smiled. Zoë was a very wise angel, that is why he adored her so.  
  
"Thank you." They both started to walk back to his room. The Ronins were still asleep so Orion placed Ryo down on the bed without anyone ever knowing he was gone.  
  
Zoë woke them all up and ushered them all down for some supper and they tiredly agreed.

Orion laid down next to Ryo placing kisses down his neck, he heard Ryo moan deeply, coming out of his dreams.  
  
"I may have the power of the Wildfire, but that doesn't mean I'm not uncomfortable in too much heat." He mumbled and turned over to Orion embracing him. "Help me out of this shirt. I can't take it anymore."  
  
Orion lifted Ryo up and pulled the shirt off over his head, then he rested Ryo back down on the bed and got up. He threw the shirt on a chair and walked over to the window opening it slightly. Snow started to pour in, but it lightened the temperature of the room immediately.  
  
Orion removed his cloak, shoes, waist coat, and scarf, and laid on the bed with Ryo, under the covers.  
  
"I'll keep you warm." He whispered into Ryo's ear smiling. Ryo leaned into Orion's comforting embrace. He tucked his head against Orion's chest.  
  
They stayed together just wallowing in the others warmth and Ryo was feeling better in less than an hour.  
  
"I'm hungry." Ryo stated and his stomach growled loudly as if to prove his point. Orion laughed out loud.  
  
"Let us go and fill your demanding stomach then." He laughed and helped Ryo up. Ryo grabbed his now dry clothes and pulled them all on along with his scarf. Orion put his scarf and shoes on as well and they both left the room –after shutting the window- to go eat.  
  
As soon as they descended the stairs to the dining area, everyone looked up. Many people had come down for food and were extremely happy to see Ryo feeling better. Many of the female angels kissed his forehead so that he would recover soon. Ryo hugged every angel that spoke to him.  
  
"Get well soon, Lord!" Chandria bowed deeply to Ryo who laughed gently. She blushed as he picked her up into his arms.  
  
"Thank you, little one." He laughed aloud. "I hear that you made a fuss over me earlier. Worried, were you?" Her blush deepened.  
  
"I'm sorry, Master, for yelling at you. You were absolutely right! I should have been more patient. Forgive me."  
  
Orion smiled. "You had a right to be worried for Ryo. Would you like to eat with us, young one?"  
  
Her blush deepened and she wrapped her arms around Ryo's neck possessively.  
  
"I would like that very much, Master!" Ryo and Orion both laughed and walked to their seats. Orion at the head of the table with Ryo at his right side.  
  
Zoë walked over to them and took her seat on Orion's left. The little six- year-old Chandria sat in Ryo's lap. They all ate off of silver plates with gold goblets. Three smiling servants came over to them energetically. They expressed their happiness that Ryo had returned safely and set down food and drink.  
  
One lady poured each of them wine and milk for the young one. She offered Ryo a flower and asked if she could kiss his forehead. He agreed and she blushed deeply while kissing him, then she left. The other two servants had brought a large plate of dragon meat and various other kinds of meat which Ryo had requested for his friends.  
  
The other Ronins came soon to sit around Ryo happily.  
  
"You're awake!" Sye declared.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" Dais wondered.  
  
"Yes, thank you." Ryo smiled and drank the wine. It was a good year for wine –nearly three hundred years old. Chandria scowled at the Ronins angrily until Ryo told her telepathically, to be nice. "Have you eaten?" They shook their heads.  
  
Seiji leaned close to Ryo.  
  
"These people eat dragons?" Seiji questioned whispering and Ryo burst out loud laughing. He quickly tried to control his outburst, but it was just so funny.  
  
"Angels eat dragon meat because it is very healthy and good for them. Dragons once overwhelmed this world and the legend is that angels were brought from heaven to earth to not only watch over the humans, but also to defeat the threat against them. At the time that was dragons, but angels wouldn't kill them without a purpose, so they became food. The blood of dragons is often used as a medicine as well as a spice for most soups. Dragons' blood is so hot it keeps anything it is put in hot for hours, even sitting in this cold weather. It tastes very good. You should try it." Ryo laughed pulling a small piece of dragon meat as small as a disc onto his plate. He put some greens and reds that Seiji didn't recognize and some potatoes on his plate then turned back to Seiji.  
  
"Aren't dragons rare?" Kento wondered. "I've never seen one."  
  
"Dragons hide from mortals in places they would never live or think to look." Chandria stuck up her head, proudly. "We wait for the meat to become soft and the time it takes for the meat to sit only makes the minerals and vitamins stronger."  
  
"You said you use the blood too?" Sye wondered curiously.  
  
A/N: {Anyone that could find an alternative to fish was okay in his book.}  
  
"Yes." Ryo nodded. "That is used as soon as the dragon is killed, but we also stow a lot of it."  
  
"Hey, where's Yuli?" Seiji asked looking around the room once more for him.  
  
Ryo stared blankly at Seiji then turned to Orion quickly.  
  
"He was in one of the guest rooms resting, last time I checked, but I suppose he should have awoken by now."  
  
Ryo looked worriedly at Orion. He wanted to go find Yuli.  
  
"I'm sure he's fine." Orion simply stated.  
  
"I'll go get him for you." Chandria smiled up at Ryo and he nodded appreciatively letting her off his lap. "Master?" She looked up to Orion.  
  
"He is in the East Wing."  
  
Chandria nodded with a smile on her face and ran up the stairs heading to the right. Ryo sighed glancing at Orion who motioned for him to eat.  
  
"There is steak, sushi, and chicken if you guys don't want to try dragon." They all perked up and immediately put some food on their plates.  
  
After Ryo had finished what little he had placed on his plate he started to get worried about Chandria and Yuli. He stood up and started to walk to the stairs, but Orion put an arm out in front of him, catching Ryo by the waist and pulling him onto Orion's lap, as if Ryo were a favorite toy he had snatched off a shelf. His arms loosely encircled Ryo to keep him still. Ryo gasped and looked down on him oddly.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"No harm could befall them while they are here. Why are you so worried?" Orion wondered, slightly hurt that Ryo didn't have the faith in him to keep Yuli safe.  
  
Ryo ran his fingers through Orion's hair, then caressed his face gently.  
  
"I trust you entirely. Please, humor me. I only want to find him so that he does not get lost and I don't go mad with worry."  
  
Orion released him and he was off.  
  
Ryo was out of sight before Orion put his hand on Zo's hand and leaned closer to her. He whispered something in her ear and she excused herself from the table, running up the stairs without making a sound. Orion looked over Ryo's friends and the many angels behind them that weren't paying attention.  
  
"Please, make yourselves at home. Rooms have been prepared for you to brave out the storm with us and transportation is ready for you when you are ready to leave. If you wish to, then you may stay for the celebration tomorrow. Ryo is our guest of honor, so of course you are welcome to join us. When you are ready for sleep, call for Lady Marcie. She will be happy to lead you to your rooms. Excuse me."  
  
The Ronins looked at each other oddly and called for Marcie who came willingly with a smile on her face.  
  
Marcie had long blonde hair and big breasts that hung out of her dress slightly. She took Seiji's arm while gladly leading them to the guest rooms.  
  
They whispered behind her about Ryo, but Seiji didn't join the conversation. He endured this girl dragging him along wordlessly.  
  
"I think that Orion fellow is trying to take Ryo away from us." Kento grumped snottily. "I don't think so." Cale whispered walking next to Rowen. "Ryo seemed awfully willing to be fondled and held by that guy. I also think that it's not our place to talk like this behind their backs." Cale was perfectly honest and that's what kept them all silent for a while.  
  
"I wonder what kept Yuli so long this morning, that Ryo had to go out after him." Rowen whispered leaning on Cale's shoulder as they walked.  
  
"He probably over slept again." Sekmet sighed. "He's been acting very peculiar lately, why should today be any different?"  
  
"Knowing him, he'd probably blame his oversleeping on the weather." Dais grumbled, and Sekmet chuckled.  
  
"At least Ryo's feeling better." Sye whispered. "I'm surprised he didn't die, from flying out there that long with so little to wear for warmth. He's gotten quite strong. What could it be that's making him so strong?"  
  
"Maybe it's the dragon meat." Kento joked.  
  
Marcie stopped suddenly and motioned her hand toward the four bedrooms at the end of this corridor. Seiji nodded and she walked away without a sound from her heals against the stone floor.  
  
"Seiji? Doesn't it bother you that Orion has his hands all over Ryo?" Sye wondered and Seiji turned around crying. "Seiji!" He gasped.  
  
With a perfectly calm face and distinguished voice:  
  
"We decided it would be better to remain friends." Seiji stared at Sye calmly as he ran up to Seiji and embraced him.  
  
"Oh, Seiji." Sye called thoughtfully.  
  
"Ryo pulled the 'friendship' thing on you?" Kento questioned saddened. Seiji shook his head pulling Sye away from himself.  
  
"I did."  
  
That shocked them, seeing as how Seiji was the one that had been head-over- heals for Ryo ever since they'd met.  
  
"I feel like I'm holding him to Earth and keeping him from doing what he wants to. It's alright, really. I don't know why I'm crying, it's a stupid emotion." He sighed. "I'll take this one." Seiji pointed to a room and walked over to the door.  
  
"I'm with you." Sye gasped running after him.  
  
"We'll take this one then." Dais announced and pulled Sekmet toward the room next to Seiji.  
  
With one arm securely wrapped around Cale, Rowen walked over to the farthest door. Kento walked after them to the final door.  
  
"Good night!" He called and everyone responded with a 'good night'.

Meanwhile, Yuli had tried to find some form of life, but had failed. He assumed that he was in the Skies chateau, but where was Ryo and the others, hell, he'd settle to just find a rat, but there was nothing. He was afraid that he had gotten lost now.  
  
"My kingdom for anything alive." Yuli groaned and found himself at a fork in the hall. "Left, or right?" He queried himself.  
  
"The only thing to the left is the servants quarters." A voice whispered and Yuli acknowledged it as his mind talking to him.  
  
"Right it is." He sighed then realized that wasn't his voice and spun around to find no one there. After a while of wondering he turned back around and gasped in shock. He turned stumbling trying to get away from the person standing there and tripping over himself simultaneously.  
  
Ryo caught him just before he hit the ground.  
  
"Ryo!" He gasped, wrapping his arms around Ryo's shoulders. "Nice catch." He sighed, happy to see his angel.  
  
"You shouldn't have gone wandering about. It makes it harder to find you." Ryo chastised and picked Yuli up.  
  
"I was looking for you." He answered.  
  
"You found me." Ryo laughed. "Did you happen to run into a little girl with brown hair?"  
  
"No. You're the first thing I've seen besides stone for the longest time."  
  
Ryo scowled.  
  
"Where could she be?" Ryo hooked an arm around Yuli and pulled him closer. "Close your eyes." He ordered and Yuli did without hesitation. There was a huge gust of wind, then Yuli opened his eyes.  
  
"How'd you do that?" He gawked at the huge ballroom the dining had taken place in.  
  
"It's one of my gifts. Help yourself to something to eat, just don't eat the red and black meat. Everything else is safe. Stay here. I'll be right back." Yuli turned his head to look at the food then turned back to Ryo about to say something, but he was gone.  
  
"I don't think I like this new power." Yuli griped and sat down to eat.  
  
_Some things never change. Everything looks so delectable, and, is this wine? I'm aloud to drink? Cool! And it tastes great too!_

'Orion!' Ryo called out in his mind stopping his great speed on a corridor that was open to the elements. The blizzard had gotten much worse while he had slept.  
  
Orion was beside him in an instant.  
  
"You find him?"  
  
"Yes, but I haven't a clue where the child is now." Ryo sighed turning to Orion who smirked. "What?"  
  
"You are a very hard person to please."  
  
Ryo blushed. "I'm sorry."  
  
Orion leaned forward and their lips met, Orion, running his fingers through Ryo's hair.  
  
"Never be sorry for your kind heart. I will help you find the youth." They shifted again, Orion's great speed had taken them both to a small dead-end corridor. Their lips separated and they both looked to the end of the hall and saw Chandria.  
  
"Huh, not another dead end?!" She whined and turned around slouching badly. She saw Orion hovering over Ryo and smiled immediately. "Lord! Master! I had gotten lost! I couldn't find your friend in any of the rooms in the East Wing, so I started to look around, but I lost track of where I was!"  
  
Ryo smiled. She spoke as if she was an adult, but she was only about six. Chandria was hanging around noblemen so much she just seemed to pick up their way of speaking. Her speech was much better than even her own mother.  
  
"Come child! We'll take you to your parents!" Orion yelled and she ran to them. "That is what you would have us do? Correct?" He asked turning to Ryo.  
  
Ryo smirked, Orion knew him so well. "You vex me." He whispered playfully and Orion laughed. Ryo suddenly half closed his eyes and swayed, almost falling against the wall. The fever had come out of hiding to take his mind again. Ryo's hand flew to his forehead as if he could drive the illness away just by holding the place where it pained him.  
  
"Lord! Are you all right?" Chandria cried, very afraid, but Ryo smiled holding his head.  
  
"Yes, merely a dizzy spell." His façade fell away as he weakened further from the strain of it, and started to fall forward. Orion caught him and they both fell to their knees. He could feel Ryo losing any control he had over the sickness for the hour they had been up and about.  
  
"I have you." Orion coaxed Ryo into his arms and picked him up. "We will return to my chambers and I'll take care of you." Orion looked down to Chandria. "On my back, child." He ordered and she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. "Close your eyes." She did and, once again, Orion moved at his fantastic speed to the dining area. A flurry of sounds surrounded them upon Orion's sudden stop and Chandria realized she hadn't heard a thing as he'd run. There was the Great Hall. Soft music floating in the air to lighten the mood, the glorified smell of food, chatter from all around the room, and clinking plates and goblets.  
  
"Wow! You're fast, Master!" Chandria complimented jumping down.  
  
"You know your way from here?" He asked dully and she nodded, unfazed.  
  
"Take care of Lord Ryo!" Chandria called as he disappeared again.  
  
She ran down the stairs as a tall woman with black hair came running toward her across the hall.  
  
"Chandria! You bin bothering Master! You known better and wit' Lord in his condition!" Chandria jumped into her mothers arms and was scolded badly. "How dare you!" She screeched. Yuli stood up from the long table and walked over to them.  
  
"Excuse me for intruding ma'am, but what condition? Is Ryo feeling alright?" She looked him over as if sizing him up and Yuli hit his head and bowed. "Pardon." He looked up to her as he came out of the bow and she smiled. "The Lord brought a young lad in this morrow. {Morning} The youth was sleep, but Lord was in a bad way. He was deathly cold and with fever. The Master, took Lord to his chamber and he bin sleep with the illness since. He came down while ago with a rumble in his belly, but I assume he be ill again." She explained.  
  
Yuli looked troubled.  
  
"Where is the Master's chamber?" Yuli questioned.  
  
"Best not disturb Master lest he get angered and shake the palace with rage. He be mighty worried 'bout Lord." She frowned.  
  
"I beg you to tell me where his chamber is. Ryo is my companion, I must find out if he's alright." She saw such worry in Yuli's eyes that she told him where it was again, with a dreadfully powerful warning –that he disregarded- and he headed to the secluded corridor.


	2. Apologies and Surprises

A/N: Sorry about not adding this for so long –and I'm sure most have given up on me- but I moved and have had the unfortunate problem of lack of internet. I am bringing this to you though, so once again I'm terribly sorry, but here it is and I'm grateful for any and all reviews.

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers!

(I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment, so I'll respond to your next reviews, but I seem to have somehow misplaced the last ones. There in my email box somewhere, but I'll be damned if I know. I did read them when I first got them, but then I moved, and I just now got my internet back and... oh, just read the story. Sorry again. I hope you enjoy the story.)

Chapter 2

"Orion, I'm sorry." Ryo sighed and Orion turned to him totally calm with a cold wet cloth in his hand. He dabbed it on Ryo's forehead.

"Why? You do nothing wrong." He whispered patiently.

A sweat had broken out over Ryo's body, making him glisten in the fire's light.

"I am a burden on you." He admitted shamefully.

"You are not. I relish taking care of you. I love you." Orion leaned forward to kiss Ryo who stopped him with a hand to Orion's lips.

"I'll make you sick." He sighed turning sadly away.

"I have a stronger immune system than you, Ryo. You won't make me sick and even if you could, a kiss now won't make a difference, for I have already taken several kisses from you." Orion moved Ryo's face back to him, with soft gentle hands.

"You don't think I'm a burden on you?"

Orion shook his head. "Now, I will not hear anymore of this nonsense. I love you, that's what matters as far as I'm concerned. Now hush, while I open the window again and get some cool air in here." He put the towel to the side and walked over to the large window.

The door burst open with a great noise and a youth stepped in. Orion squinted his eyes to be able to see the intruder. He didn't appreciate the interruption, but he soon realized that it was Yuli.

"Ryo!" He gasped not even seeing Orion. Ryo had fallen asleep smiling and Orion, not wanting him to be disturbed went after Yuli with his swiftness.

He grabbed the youth by the shirt and yanked him into the more lighted hall, slamming him against the wall. He shut the door gently behind himself.

"What is on your mind? You can not just barge into my quarters, especially without knocking! If you wish to see Ryo, then knock first, lest I have to warn you again more aggressively."

Yuli rubbed the back of his head tenderly.

"May I please sit next to Ryo?! Orion? You are Orion, aren't you? Please. I heard about his sickness and got worried. Please." Yuli looked so desperate in Orion's eyes, but his intrusion was still very rash and rude, not to mention disrespectful.

"Come in quietly. If I ask you to leave then you will. If you do what I ask then you may stay by his side." Orion was scowling as Yuli nodded and they walked back into his chamber.

Yuli noticed that Orion's feet didn't make a sound as they touched the ground and he realized how loud he himself must seem when no other angel makes a sound. He walked more slowly and carefully.

Yuli watched him walk over to the window and open it all the way. The blizzard was calming down slightly, but it was still dangerous to be outside. Orion beckoned Yuli over to the opposite side of the bed than he was on. He sat in a comfy chair and watched Orion care for Ryo. The gallant angel sat with one knee on the bed and the other leg hanging off.

Ryo opened his eyes slowly smiling up at the glorified beauty, with silver glowing hair. He glared at Yuli and Ryo followed his gaze.

"Yuli." He sighed relieved. "How you doin'?" Ryo slurred.

"Better than you obviously." Yuli laughed and leaned closer to Ryo holding his hand outstretched. He placed his hand on Ryo's forehead. Ryo gasped.

"You're cold."

Yuli pulled his hand away. "You're just the opposite." He frowned. "You're sick cause of me."

"No!" Ryo gasped, sitting up suddenly and then feeling extremely dizzy. He slumped forward leaning on his knees. He lifted his hand to his head. Orion touched Ryo's back tenderly and gave him something to drink.

'Slowly, love. Careful. You're frightening your friend. Give him a smile.' Orion pulled the goblet away, gracefully placing it on the table.

'Thank you.' He sighed and smiled down on Yuli laughing.

"I was the stubborn one that didn't want to wear warm clothes. I didn't think it would affect me that much and frankly thought that I could beat the storm. Stupid, arrogant me. Yuli, don't blame yourself."

Yuli leapt into Ryo's arms and kissed his neck; a tear streamed down his face.

"Thank God you're alright! I was worried."

Ryo kept his gasping breath quiet, but it hurt to sit up, his chest felt tight and even breathing took great willpower.

'Love, say something sweet to him so that I can banish him for here. He will return later, but you need your rest now.'

'Yes, but what to say?'

'Just smile and try to hold your breath in. I'll take care of the rest.'

'Thank you, love.'

Ryo did just that, pulling him away and swiping the tear away from Yuli's eye.

"No more tears." He whispered and Orion laid him down gently with a kiss to his forehead.

'Good work sweet angel.' He sighed and looked at Yuli.

"Please leave for now. I will call for you when he awakens again."

Yuli reluctantly left with little noise to his ears, but it was loud to Orion's perceptive senses.

He closed one door to the window and removed his shirt and scarf. He climbed into bed with Ryo helping him rid himself of his shirt and they held each other for hours on end.

'I have you, angel.' Orion whispered.

'What would I do without you?' Ryo kissed Orion.

'I pray we never have to find out.' He slipped his tongue into Ryo's mouth momentarily, then broke the kiss and caressed Ryo's sore body all over.

Morning came and everyone woke up refreshed. The celebration would take place in the early afternoon and it was almost high noon so all the servants were bustling around with many preparations and things to do.

The two angel lovers were the only exceptions that hadn't risen yet. They remained wrapped in each others' embrace, perfectly content and tired, but Zoë wouldn't have that.

"Wake up!" She yelled startling them both.

"It's too early, Zoë!" Ryo complained. "Go away!"

Zoë pulled the cover off them both and they separated sitting up grumpily. Orion smiled and tried to coax Ryo to get up and dressed, but he laid back down.

"Come, Cherub! This day is the day of the celebration you missed. Rise!" Orion laughed, watching Ryo cover his head with a pillow.

"Stubborn! Isn't he?" Zoë cocked an eyebrow to Orion, her hands on her hips, and they both smiled.

"Time to wake." Orion whispered sweetly, leaning closer to Ryo who turned the other way. Suddenly, Ryo found himself outside and falling toward the Earth.

"Ah!" He screamed at first then slapped his own head. "Duh!" He called forth his wings, taking a moment to praise Arigazi for his wings and the ability to fly. He then flew back up to the chateau window Orion had dropped him from.

He flew back into the room and shook off what little snow had landed on his head and now healed wings.

"I'm up." He announced as Zoë threw fresh clothes into his arms. Zoë and Orion had tidied up the room while he had been falling and it was clean now. Every trace that he had been sick the night before was now gone.

"Feeling better?" Orion asked leaning on his bed post fully dressed in his fancy clothes again.

"Thanks to you." He sighed and tossed his clothes onto the bed, while removing his clothes from yester-morrow.

After getting fully dressed Ryo wore an outfit very similar to Orion's.

They walked around the chateau making orders, and greeting new guests such as the Mystic Five, and anyone else that had stayed behind from that incident one year ago. They were all there to celebrate Ryo's bravery from the last year, as Orion explained it.

Orion had been planning this party for months and the fact that it was delayed a day didn't matter.

The Mystic Five were there. The elf: Coji, The werewolf: Daemon, The warrior: Sky Racer –Master of Dragons- The warrior: Centauri of Garranto, and the Bounty: Coro. Coro left his cat, Jinx, on Earth to roam and hunt. Along with these warriors were also the Prince Jeremy, and the Mermaid of Seldar. They all dressed in finely woven silks, embroidered blazers, cloaks, and capes, lace and frilly garments, with rings of diamond, gold, and silver upon their fingers along with, pearl necklaces and so on.

Orion had given Ryo several rings to wear on his fingers, but Ryo only wore them because Orion wished it of him.

When they entered the dining area everyone who was talking suddenly looked up and clapped. Ryo forced himself not to blush as they walked down the stairs gracefully. Ryo's friends were there and also clapping.

Ryo was astounded by the decorations in the room. Everything sparkled as if it had been polished a thousand times. Five diamond chandeliers in the room were sparkling with candles; the dining table was gone and now there was a table on the side of the room filled with different foods for every different kind of creature in that room.

Instead of the silver plates from last night, now the plates were of golden and the goblets were now shining with tiny diamonds, rubies, and smooth pearls embedded into the gold. A red table cloth decorated each table top, with roses in large vases taking up every inch of space unoccupied by food. A red carpet wound its way up the stairs they walked down and a band sat in the corner playing some light music for the moment while everyone talked.

Ryo was astonished by it all. All the women wore ball gowns of great expense and the men wore stunning dressy clothes with caps and knee high boots, and whatever other new fashions there were from their countries.

Paintings hung all over the room of great warriors of the past. On the wall behind the stair case a large painting of Arigazi hung. She was in a gown more magnificent than any lady in the room.

Every child angel or otherwise was dressed in their best and even the servants took turns with their shifts so that they might enjoy the party as well.

A fountain decorated the left of the stair case. It was made of marble like the floor. A stone granite angel spitting water stood in the middle playing the harp, with many followers of all different species sitting around the outside. They all sat there listening to the female angel play her lovely music, entranced by her beauty.

This room entranced Ryo, it was so big and wondrous.

He turned to Orion his mouth open in awe. Orion was staring back at him with a large smile on his face. They had stopped on the stairs, with everyone staring at them.

"Merry Birthday, Ryo!" Orion laughed it loud enough for the entire room to hear and they all echoed Orion, only saying Lord.

Ryo was aghast that this was all for his Birthday.

"Mine?" He stuttered and Orion nodded kissing his face. Orion motioned to a table full of presents on the opposite wall. It must have held three hundred gifts. Its' middle cupped downward under the weight of them all.

"What say you?" Zoë questioned walking up to the stairwell a few steps in a gorgeous gown that caught Ryo's attention. He gawked at her while she smiled, and he finally smirked looking once more around the room.

"Let the celebration commence!" He shouted and they all cheered for him and started talking. The music started to play a fast melody and five woman came up to Ryo obviously princesses of their own perspective courts.

They each bravely requested for him to dance with them.

"Excuse me majesties, but I promised the first dance to Princess Zoë." They looked saddened, but they soon turned their sights on Orion who gladly accepted the dances.

Ryo walked forward and took Zoë's small white gloved hand pulling her gently toward the dance floor.

"Princess?" She asked with a raise of her brow as he twirled her.

"You're right. I was stupid to call you a princess. You are far too beautiful to be considered a mere princess, next time I will call you a queen."

Zoë laughed and closed the polite bit of space Ryo had left between their bodies.

Ryo stared at her lean face, with paint on her eyes and lips. Her small waist was churning back and forth seductively. Her long dress hugged her every curve on her top. A line of beads was woven into the lining of her dress under her plump breasts leaving a long white gown swirling and bumping under it. The ends of her dress were fringed and looked uneven and beautiful.

He could hear the click of her heals moving to counter his dance style.

"Do you know how to tango?" He asked and she smirked; he was being very bold.

Ryo guided her to the end of the room where a vase sat. He took a rose out of the vase and put it in his mouth. Zoë almost laughed out loud. Ryo motioned to the band and they heard his mind. They changed to the seductive music and Ryo pulled Zoë into the starting position and the dancers moved aside to cheer them on.

"Hey, look at the birthday boy!" Yuli shouted happily tugging on Cale's shirt. Orion had supplied them all with fancy clothes for the celebration.

Cale turned from the gentlemen he had been talking to about politics to see Ryo dipping Zoë with so much grace and style it was sickening.

He smirked and kissed Yuli's ear gently licking the lobe. He offered a sly and knowing smile to Yuli and continued to stare at Ryo.

As it was, the people he had been talking to were in the same boat as Yuli. Unable to move or much less look at anything else –as Ryo and Zoë were the main attraction- everyone could keep their eyes on nothing else. Cale would have to wait for the dance to be finished if he wanted to talk to anyone but himself.

It seemed like they were walking on air, they were in perfect harmony with one another, as if they were twins. The dance was over a minute later and everyone snapped out of their trance. Yuli hadn't realized how much he had been staring until Cale offered him a napkin.

"You're drooling." He explained cunningly. Yuli was quick to blush and take the napkin nodding a thank you, but every man and woman in their right minds were staring at Ryo and Zoë as they danced. They had moved like the wind.

Zoë was immediately asked to dance with another gentlemen and Ryo willingly let her go and dance after kissing her forehead. Many people came to him asking if he'd like to dance, but Ryo denied them politely.

He moved over to Yuli and Cale smiling. "Enjoying the party?" He questioned.

"Happy birthday! And thank you, I am enjoying myself." Yuli nodded.

"Thank you. Yuli, why don't you dance with someone?" Ryo asked.

"No one's gonna ask me." Yuli blushed.

"Well, I guess I'm 'no one' cause I am asking." Ryo slinked an arm around Yuli and took the clear glass of alcohol from his hand, putting it on the tray of a servant passing by.

Yuli was ecstatic. He glanced back to Cale for support and got a hit on his behind to take the opportunity. He did and walked with Ryo to a less lit corner of the room. The music changed again to a soft sexy tone. Yuli blushed, shyly putting his arms on Ryo's shoulders and laying his head on his chest.

They swayed gently with the best of the music. Yuli took in Ryo completely; his smell, his hands, his agile body, his silky hair that shined in the light.

He could feel Ryo's warmth encircle him like it had before when he had been falling to the Earth. Ryo was so tender now whenever he touched anything. He wasn't careless like he had been three years ago. Now his hands caressed his back. Yuli quickly pulled his face up gently brushing his lips across Ryo's in a kiss that lasted less than a moment before some careless servant bumped into them.

Ryo caught the lady before she fell, with one arm and caught the tray in midair without dropping one glass piece in his other.

The lady was honored and in a giggling fit while Ryo straightened her out.

Yuli recognized her, through his half drunken state, as the lady that had given him directions to Orion's room with that warning.

"Lord is so elegant, lithe, beautiful, and kind. I never can repay Lord for not bein' angry. Forgive this clumsy fool."

Ryo smiled kissing her forehead, returning her the tray of liquor, and sending her off.

Yuli saw the moment had been ruined and their lips had barely touched. He yearned to rectify the situation and pull Ryo to him, but he had a feeling it would be a bad idea.

Ryo sighed heavily looking back at Yuli still with a serene face. _'Thank the gods she bumped into me. Poor Yuli. So drunk he doesn't even realize what's going on around him. He needs a lover.'_ Ryo thought absently.

A young Noblemen, surely much younger than Yuli –by at least two years- walked up to them swiftly.

"Beautiful catch." He smirked offering his hand palm up to Ryo. "Will you do me the honor of this dance, my Lord?" He even bowed. Ryo couldn't turn him away now, it would be shame upon him, and he was too beautiful a specimen to be turned away.

Ryo glanced disappointedly at Yuli and took the youth's hand. They walked off and Yuli bit his lip to stifle a groan of distress.

Hot kisses covered his neck and he turned to see Cale there, looking much more sober then he.

He took Cale's glass of Champaign and gulped it down, then he encircled Cale with his arms and forced himself not to cry.

'_I'll have plenty more chances with him.'_ Yuli thought. _'I'll be living here now so I can steal kisses whenever I want and maybe even steal all of him. I'll have him.'_ He thought determined.

He tucked his head under Cale's chin, then drew a kiss from him.

Cale watched Ryo dance carelessly with the Noblemen, that talked away. Ryo had a firm grasp of the young one so he wouldn't get any ideas and get too close. The song was at a faster pace thankfully.

After the dance was over Ryo bowed his head slightly and walked back over to them.

They looked around the room seeing everyone occupied.

Rowen had come across one of the ancient samurais from mid-evil China and was thrilled to talk to him about history and weapons, and what happened while the man had slept.

Sye had tasted the soup and shrugged. He made his way to the kitchen giving them tips and now a large group of people hung around the food table to sample Sye's cooking. Sye was one of the greatest chefs and especially exceptional for a guy.

Kento had attracted quite a few ladies with his muscles and bulky build. They had been drooling over him for quite some time. Finally, he agreed to dance with one of them if the girl would lead. He couldn't dance.

Sekmet and Dais were talking secretively at the moment, drinks in hand, but they had been moving around the room inspecting every different soldier, and had an especial interest in the Mystic Five. They had chatted for quite some time and even laughed a bit, but now they were glancing around at certain people as if to judge them.

Seiji was attracting the eye of every person in that room. His hand was defiantly on his hip, his hair glistening in the light. He even cracked a perfectly white smile every now and then, but just now he was staring down at Orion. Glaring at him oddly.

Orion was ignoring Seiji. He was busy with Noblemen, and Masters of other realms. Ryo assumed they had been talking of old times, seeing as Orion was older than most of them and he had spoken to each of them, previously at other parties.

Ryo didn't want to attract the eye of any other gentlemen or ladies in the room though. He stood leaning against the wall staring at Cale and Yuli, who stood in front of him.

Cale stood with a drink in hand, but totally sober, not slurring at all. He was enjoying the party and the company.

Yuli couldn't stay in one spot, he kept fidgeting onto one foot or the other. His gaze had been ogling Ryo, but now he tried to look at anything but Ryo, because he knew he would start to undress Ryo with his mind if he stared too long.

"Something wrong?" Ryo questioned furrowing his brow in wonder. Yuli snapped to attention, his eyes wide as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

"No!" He squeaked. Cale knew what was wrong and tried to steer Ryo back into conversation.

"So you've slain dragons? Where? In all of my many years I have never seen one and I've been to many places around the world."

Ryo spoke to Cale, while holding Yuli's gaze in his. His features seemed sly and cunning, his mouth slightly open.

"Dragons have been caught in Transylvania, Cairo, Kyoto, Spain, and even New Orleans a long while ago..." Ryo took in a breath. "Yuli? Does something upset you? Are you having second thoughts about living here?"

Cale turned to Yuli dazed. "Living here?" He questioned. Yuli stared at the ground. Ryo looked from one of his friends to the other.

"You didn't tell them?" Ryo scolded.

"I was going to." Yuli sighed. "I'm sorry, but I didn't think you'd let me." Yuli sighed again. Cale put a hand on his back.

"Don't think that. I would have just preferred to be told instead of finding out the hard way. Imagine how worried we would be if we tried to call you and your phone had been disconnected. Tell us, Yuli. That's all. We just don't want to be left in the dark. You're an adult now. We don't control your life, you do."

Yuli smiled. "Thanks." He embraced Cale then Ryo.

"Excuse us." A man's voice chimed in with a fake cough and Yuli pulled away quickly. He blushed, but Ryo looked perfectly calm. He stood up straight and dusted off his arms, out of habit.

This man was rather chunky and about two hundred pounds over weight. He seemed kind though.

Ryo raised his brow in wonder and this distinguished gentleman pulled the arm of a boy from behind him. Another finely dressed young boy. He was more Yuli's age with a cape, rapier, and puffy hat. His ensemble screamed that he was perhaps from Spain, but not a Frenchmen. His blanch skin and finely toned muscles also hinted that he was royalty.

"I am Lexis Borden Charleston II. This is my boy, Francis Herman Charleston. You and he have a lot in common, Lord. Franz has been to only the best martial arts schools, and has excelled with his sword and archery abilities. I expect you will have a great deal to talk about." He walked away with a smile on his face. "If you'll excuse me."

"I didn't know you learned the martial arts?" Cale questioned turning back to Ryo as if the youth wasn't standing right behind him a few inches shorter.

"Orion insisted I learn a few different techniques. It's helped a great deal in my concentration as well as my agility. Haven't you taken lessons?" Ryo queried.

"Yes, but that was ages ago."

"Who taught you?" Yuli questioned after a quick glance to the young one, Franz.

"My father. Back then everyone was training for the great wars that kept erupting everywhere." Cale answered.

Ryo nodded leaning back against the wall, relaxing again. He crossed his ankles and held his hands behind his back nonchalantly.

"What different techniques did you learn?" Franz asked walking past Cale and Yuli to be closer to Ryo who didn't recoil, but instead glared down at him.

"Jiu-jitsu, Kung Fu, Karate," he listed staring at the ceiling, then back at the youth, "_manners_." He continued and Franz took a step back bowing half his body to Ryo.

"My apologies. Please, though, I would like to face you in a match. My father informed me that you are a master with the katanas."

Ryo shook his head. "I excel with Katanas, I am no master. Orion is Master of this house."

Franz smirked. "But you are a great warrior and too modest. I've learned much about you."

"Tell me about myself." Ryo urged, a bit cynically. Cale's eyes were heavy on the young child as were Yuli's angry eyes, but Ryo handled this rude child well.

"I've learned you excel in many areas such as katanas, the sword, archery, martial arts... need I go on? Your strength is said to rival that of gods. Your beauty surpassed that of any heavenly spirit as does your charm and wit. I've seen all of these for myself, save your fighting ability, though I'm sure what I've learned does not do you justice. Your other qualities weren't annunciated accurately either." Franz was trying to be charming, but charm alone wasn't going to win Ryo over.

"What do you propose?" Ryo questioned somewhat intrigued by this boy's audacity.

"I want to fight you in a duel." Franz smirked. Taking a moment to ponder the appealing idea, Ryo answered:

"I accept your offer. The match will take place later tonight once the party has calmed down a bit. Midnight should do it. It is almost five now, the sun is heading into darkness. We will meet on the high tower. It is secluded enough, in the West wing, and open to the elements."

"Midnight." Franz repeated and headed off toward two of his other friends that were obviously interested in what they overheard.

"Cale?" Ryo murmured turning back to his friends.

"Yes?"

"Be my second."

"What's wrong?" Cale cocked an eyebrow.

"I don't trust them." He stated, his eyes narrowed. Cale nodded.

"What's a 'second'?" Yuli took another step toward Ryo, closing the gap Franz had made.

"If anything were to happen to me or if they were to double cross us, Cale would attack them, in most cases kill them for the betrayal." Yuli gasped and Ryo ruffled up his hair. "No worries. I am stronger than he is any day. Cale will be there only as insurance, just as Franz is picking his chubby friend to be his second, though why he thinks I would cross him is beyond me."

Yuli hugged Ryo again, wallowing in his warmth. He sighed. It took all his strength just to keep his knees from buckling under him, though Ryo would catch him surely.

The alcohol was starting to affect his head giving him a huge headache. He picked up a glass from the table nonetheless, to calm his nerves. It made the ache in his head stay at bay for now, but it would return later, he knew, with vengeance.

Zoë ran up to Ryo and jumped into his arms a while later. He gasped struggling to right himself and not drop her.

He managed and she kissed his cheek.

"You are fantastic!" She shouted, startling several other people near them.

"What?" He questioned spontaneously.

"Your kiss of luck –you devilish angel you! My distant cousin just informed me my father will be attending this party later tonight! It was your luck that did it! Your luck which is the best luck today of all days on your birthday! Thank you, guardian angel! You have granted my wish on this grand day that I will surely remember forever!" She waited for him to speak as her breathing slowed down only slightly.

"Well I'd hope you would never forget my birthday." He laughed. Zoë laughed, kissed his cheek, and ran off to go hug some other poor soul, most likely.

Another hour passed before everyone started to cheer and Ryo got to go over to open up all of his birthday gifts.

Gifts of jewelry handmade, or jewels of rubies and sapphires mined from distant countries and ages were all brought to him. Chests of gold and books of magick (A/N: I have recently been informed that this is the proper way to spell magic. To those that don't know about the difference, it shouldn't bother you, but I only adjusted this so as not to offend anyone. Magic: Is fake and like what a magician would do. Magick: Is the real thing that isn't fake. Sorry to interrupt.) spells among other things littered the table. The finest crafted weapons made of indestructible metals and carved with vines for decoration. Plants and birds from distant lands that were native only to that land were bestowed unto Ryo. He would release them to the garden once the weather had changed for the better. Paintings of himself and the castle from different perspectives and eras were among the gifts, along with deeds to portions of land in other far off lands. The list was endless.

By the time he finished with all of the gifts an hour had past.

People around him slurred and danced and laughed. It was wonderful. The party was going great and he was the center of attention.

Orion came over to Ryo while he spoke with Cale and Yuli. He held something behind his back, but didn't reveal what it was.

"You hexing fiend. Is that for me?" Ryo asked trying to look behind Orion's back. Orion stayed as agile as ever, avoiding Ryo's eyes with great speed. "Let's not play this game." He laughed. "Let me see, what have you got there?" Ryo tried to grab Orion and hold him still so Orion kissed him and they were caught in the moment. The room around them disappeared and Ryo forgot about the gift hiding behind Orion.

'Beautiful, sweet angel.' Orion smiled.

'Vexing, kind, tease.' Ryo replied.

'No patients.' He sighed.

'Only for you, love, not for surprises.' Ryo laughed.

Orion took the present from behind himself and held up a dead and dried up flower, in his delicate fingers, for them to see.

Ryo looked at it oddly, but only with curiosity, never disappointment. He knew that anything Orion gave him had some kind of significance.

Orion held it up, slightly smiling. He waved his hand over it like a magician, then tossed it in the air and clapped his hands over it when it came down. He opened his hands and a bird jumped up and started to fly around Ryo. It was a tiny red cardinal. Ryo laughed and smiled. It chirped a beautiful melody filling his senses with happiness as always happened now that he was an angel. The wildlife and plantlife around him always brought him peace now.

After flying around Ryo a few times and creating an audience around them, the bird flew back toward Orion who clapped his hands on the creature again. It disappeared completely except for a lot of sparkling dust that fell in great heaps from the ceiling like snow.

Ryo's mouth was open and smiling fully. He laughed and ogled Orion. Everyone around them was laughing and clapping as the dust eventually stopped falling.

Orion cupped his hands together gathering some of the dust that fell. He held up his hand for silence, then he pointed up and threw the sparkling dust he had collected in his hand in the air.

With a snap of his fingers the sparkling dust collected and turned into the cardinal again.

This time the cardinal flew down and landed on Ryo's shoulder with the dried flower in his mouth. The flower just came to life all of a sudden in the birds mouth and bloomed into a beautiful red rose; as if working its way past death and into a new life.

Ryo was ecstatic. He took the flower from the bird and it flew off to the high point of the room and burst into more sparkling dust that covered the entire room endlessly.

Ryo calmed his thumping heart and blushed, holding the flower close to his chest. This was Orion's gift to him and he knew that this rose would never die.

He stepped closer to Orion and wrapped his arms around his neck.

They kissed while the dust still fell around them. It made the moment magical and Ryo wished the moment would last forever.

The dust finished falling and they broke their kiss.

"Thank you, love." Ryo smiled again, a small blush creeping up on him.

"I would travel to the ends of the universe for you." He kissed Ryo's forehead and they pulled apart reluctantly.

Yuli came up behind Ryo to examine the flower. Cale on the other side of him held it in his hand.

"Amazing!" He gasped.

"Cool!" Yuli laughed, he looked at Orion. "How'd you do it?"

Orion smiled cunningly. "Magick." He answered.

"I'm serious, how'd you do it?" He asked, but this time Ryo put his hand on Yuli's smaller shoulder. Yuli looked up to him as Ryo smiled.

"Magick." He whispered reassuringly and Yuli realized he was serious. Orion had really used his magick to create the gift.

"It's time to cut your cake." Orion shouted happily and Ryo's face lit up.

They gathered around the table Sye had been working at, and Ryo laughed. Sye had frosting all over his hands and smears of flour on his face and clothes. Ryo assumed he had made the frosting from hand and he smiled. The cake was four feet tall and at least half that wide, with seven thick layers.

Ryo leaned over the table to Sye and swiped his hand at a clump of frosting that was caught on his face. Sye gasped in astonishment. He hadn't realized the cake had been there. Ryo brought it to his mouth and sucked on his finger. He pulled away smiling.

"Yummy." He laughed with an approving nod and Sye blushed deeply. Ryo took the cake cutter and sliced a piece for himself, then Orion.

Everyone watched as Orion fed Ryo the first bite by hand and there was a great cheer when he announced:

"Delicious!" The star-crossed lovers walked to the side of the room with the fountain while everyone that wanted a piece got their slice of cake. "Thank you, Orion." He sighed taking another bite of the cake.

"For what? This is your day, no thanks are needed."

"Yes, they are. You are wonderful. I don't deserve such a beautiful creature. The flower is beautiful, the party is grand, but you are the most beautiful of it all. I know it isn't your custom to cut a cake like this, but you do it anyway, just for me."

"I would kill for you." Orion whispered in his ear and Ryo knew he was serious.

"Hopefully it won't have to come to that." He sighed and kissed Orion's ear.

Orion took another piece of his own cake and brought it to Ryo's mouth. Ryo opened his mouth eagerly taking in Orion's fingers along with the cake. He sucked fervently at the fingers as Orion's mouth hung open watching Ryo keenly.

He couldn't wait to have that searing mouth over his flesh, sucking at his skin.

Ryo released his fingers eventually and glared up into Orion's eyes with a promise covering them. Orion was taken aback by the look of lust and hunger in Ryo's eyes, but he smirked and descended his mouth over Ryo's once again.

Another two hours passed of partying and celebrating before Orion halted the celebration again. In the middle of the room he tugged Ryo who already knew what he was planning.

It was the angels' custom to have the birthday person in question demonstrate some trick of the trade they had learned in the past year. This applied to everyone above the age of one. After the age of one an angel must at least be able to fly, or float in some way so that is what is demonstrated at the second birthday. After that the angel must learn something, whether it is just a poem or not, but something.

Ryo knew what he was going to do and Orion knew he needed a lot of room; he cleared twenty feet in each direction for him.

Ryo's hands hovered at his sides outstretched, palm up. They were level with his chest and perfectly steady. He closed his eyes and the air around him started to shiver and move. He was calling the power of the Wildfire to him. This was something he'd been developing for nearly a year and a half; ever since he started a camp fire merely by the will of his mind. It had been by accident, but he'd been determined to be able to control all of his Ronin power without needing his armor at all.

A flame churned in each hand. It sparked up with life from its master and became a foot large, then down to a flickering flame again.

It did this a few times as the wind in the room picked up. Ryo was concentrating hard behind his closed eyes. No angel had ever had the power to do what he was doing so it was quite a demonstration to all present. Orion himself had yet to see Ryo use his power to a full extent.

His power did the trick again only becoming bigger and moving toward his other palm in the circumference of a semicircle. The column of fire blazed three feet over his head, and down into his other palm, finishing a one hundred-eighty degree arch.

People around him were awed and gasping. Ryo's hair flew behind him, up and down, then twisted and flew another way as his power worked in circles of heat and endowment.

Sparks emanated from his body as if in a heat storm. They stopped after a moment and the wind around the room calmed slowly. After another gesture of his hands, Ryo opened his eyes and threw the fire up into the air. It combined with the suddenly raging wind and took a shape. The shape of a bird, a cardinal, the bird chirped loudly, filling the entire room with a roar, then the fire died down with the wind and the bird was gone.

Everything in the room settled and there was a great applause for Ryo.

He smiled, only a slight bit of fatigue coloring his cheeks.

Talking and dancing filled the next hour and the time was almost eleven o'clock.

Franz approached Ryo impatiently as he was talking to Rowen, Cale, and Seiji.

"I will n't wait more." Franz slurred and drew his rapier and dagger. He was obviously drunk. Ryo tiredly glanced at him, as did everyone that noticed him, which was a good portion of that side of the room.

"Franz, you are drunk and it is not yet midnight. It is not even the hour's eve of midnight." Hour before midnight.

Ryo turned back to Cale who held his shoulder and stepped closer, as if protecting him.

"You will fight I!" He yelled pointing his sword at Ryo drunkenly. He stumbled back a pace, but held his ground. "Finn!" He yelled and a man parted the now fearful crowd behind Franz.

This chubby man was Franz's second, Finn. He had his own rapier out and drawn to Yuli's throat who was held in his left arm.

Ryo stood up immediately from the fountain in fury. He was outraged and clenching his fists tight as he gazed at Yuli. The youth's neck was already bleeding, the blade was so close, but it wasn't a deadly cut.

Yuli couldn't move, his body was pinned to Finn's.

Orion came to Ryo's side and touched his arm. They spoke psychically.

'We could use our speed.' Orion suggested, then debated the thought seeing Finn hold the blade closer to Yuli's throat.

Yuli groaned with pain, afraid to gasp.

'Too dangerous. I'll have to fight him.' Ryo growled. He turned to Orion and drew the ordinary rapier from its sheath that hung at Orion's thigh's side.

"I accept your challenge!" Ryo yelled.

"Go by me rules!" Franz yelled. "No fast junk; that unfair."

Ryo smirked. "I'll fight fair, if you do."

"No, you fight not unfair no matter what!" He shouted meaning for Ryo to fight fair or else. Ryo scowled and nodded.

Finn held onto Yuli tighter and Yuli shouted out. The sword dug into his skin more.

'_That drunken oaf won't last long if he keeps that up!_'

'Calm yourself!' Orion ordered as everyone backed away from the two who were ready to fight. Ryo had already lost his temper though.

He swung the sword around in his hand and started to pace around Franz who got worried and did the same. Ryo smirked as Franz started to get dizzy and wobble.

"Stop rounding me." He growled and stood up straight. Ryo charged at him and Franz blocked with both his sword and dagger, crossed. Ryo's swing was so hard, and pushed so fiercely that Franz fell to his knee. Franz used all the strength he had to push against Ryo, though Ryo didn't try at all. It seemed that Ryo put no effort into it. He pulled his leg back and kicked Franz.

Franz flew across the room smashing into the wall and making a one foot dent in it. He fell to the ground and didn't move afterward. Ryo was furious. He just stood there, his hair blowing in a sudden wind that came from no where. His body started to glow as he got angrier and angrier.

A drunken fool charged Ryo from behind him –one of Franz's men- and swung his sword at Ryo. Everyone cried out for him to move, but Ryo merely turned his head to the guy. He scowled as the guy drew closer and struck Ryo with the sword. He had aimed for Ryo's head hitting him dead center of his forehead.

The room was silent as everyone stared and gasped. Ryo was unscathed and the sword still touched his temple. Ryo lifted his finger touching the blade gently and it broke into twenty tiny shards.

The only thing left was the hilt of the sword which the drunken guy dropped as he stepped backward from Ryo, obviously fearful.

"Hey! You stop right there, or he dies!" Finn screamed. Ryo's hair flared, his eyes blazing black, his pupils completely dilated as he turned back to Finn with a fury blazing in him.

He stared at Finn, then the sword. His gaze unmoving. Steam emanated from the sword hilt, then it turned a bright red, and a sizzling sound came about.

"Ah!" Finn shrieked and dropped the sword blowing on his hand. He dropped Yuli and ran to the punch bowl behind him, dumping his hand in it. Steam came from the bowl now and Finn sighed. He lifted his hand out and it was red. "What are you?" He turned screaming to Ryo as Ryo approached.

Everyone cleared out of Ryo's way. No one went near the furious angel. Electricity came off of him, like a heat storm. The punch boiled as he got closer and Finn backed up to the wall.

"Stay back! You burn me!" He hollered using his arms as a guard over his face.

Ryo's expression remained unchanged and merciless. Finn felt hundreds of pinches all over his skin from the lightning. He dropped to his knees.

"I beg you! Please, don't kill me! I'm sorry! I'll do anything you want! Anything! Just don't kill me!" Finn covered his head in anticipation for some kind of blow.

The rapier in Ryo's hand melted into liquid. The hilt burnt into cinders that littered the air. His fury was beyond control.

"Ryo stop!" Orion shouted from behind him. The Mystic Five came dashing in and surrounded all the offenders. They tied them all up and everyone was gazing at Ryo now.

Ryo had stopped in place. No real gaze or expression on his face.

"Look at me!" Orion shouted. Ryo ignored him and walked forward only feet from Finn who was crying to himself. "Ryo! I am ordering you to look at me!" He walked closer to Ryo who stopped again. "Stop this now! You've had your revenge! Don't kill him! You would never do that! I know you, Ryo! This isn't you!"

Ryo was about to take another step, but Chandria jumped in front of him.

"Lord! Please! You saved us all! There surely is no need to destroy him now. Please!" She started to cry. Ryo reached for her and Zoë grabbed the child, protecting her.

"No!" She screamed fighting tears as well. "Ryo, you'll burn her!"

A/N: Sorry about leaving off like this, but to make all the chapters pretty even I divided them to about the same spot, so... back to the suspense. I don't think I left off in too horrible of a place last time... at least I hope I didn't.

Please read and review. I'll be quicker at putting out the third chapter after my four favorite reviewers review this one too. You know who you are.


	3. Baths and Blood

A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful feedback, and I know you were all rather flustered and angry with me for the way I left off last time. mumbles to self You won't like me much this time either... becomes cheerful but I promise you'll like the ending! Thanks to all the best of you that reviewed! Ah, actually this little note will go on for a bit more. I'd like to request something. Zoë has a dream in this story and it was a rather strike of genius at two o'clock in the morning, so... I know you'll hate me for where I leave off –yet again- but I would appreciate it if you would comment on the dream. Thank you and enjoy.

Replies:

Silverwyvern: Wow! Really? I'm so glad people actually randomly check to see if I updated. I just figured the only reviewers I would get are the people that put me on their Author Alert List. I'm so pleased that you thought of me. Look for my updates mostly on the weekends. With work and all... but the more reviews I get, the happier I'll be, the more I'll update no matter what time of week. -smile-

Quiet Chaos: It thrills me that you are accepting my sequel so well… and reviewing… I don't think anyone else likes to read it. I will go on though. This story will continue 'til the very end. I'm sorry about how this one leaves off, but… after you review I'll put up the next part and I promise it will leave off with a much less stressful stop. All will be explained… -all mysterious voice- I'm going for cocoa. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Ryo's expression stayed unchanged; he glared down at them.

Orion walked strongly in front of Ryo, his own power causing a great wave of air and icy breath to travel through the room. He remained in control though, his eyes still their normal crystal blue color.

Orion knew that Ryo wasn't going to stop. Ryo had lost control over his anger and it was controlling his thoughts and pushing him to kill the reason he was so angry.

Ryo tried to step forward and Orion punched him with all his might.

He went flying over everyone, his power dying down as his mind fluttered from the strike. He hit the thick stone wall and went straight through it, flying over the garden.

He was back to normal now with the hard knock to his head. Just as he was about to hit the ground, Ryo was caught. A man had caught him with a groan and he landed gently in the dark garden, only illuminated by the clouded moon.

"You alright?" He asked and Ryo nodded. "What's going on here?" The tall man wondered, with no anger in his voice.

"A challenge, Sir." Ryo whispered hoarsely and bowed his head slightly, standing up a bit straighter. "Thank you for catching me, I didn't have the time to call on my own wings."

The man looked at Ryo's wounds. Crashing through the wall and being hit by Orion he had sustained a few. One over his cheek, a few on his arms, one across his chest, and one on his calve, which was so deep he limped.

This man tenderly reached out a hand to him. Ryo didn't flinch while he touched the blood that had run down his neck, from his cheek.

He looked at his fingers, then at Ryo, who still glowed a white color.

"You must be Lord Ryo." He whispered smiling. Ryo raised his brow and nodded.

"And you are, Sir?"

"Oh, forgive my rudeness. I am George Rotcurtsni." He bowed his head to Ryo.

"And you just happen to be flying around the chateau?" Cale questioned walking up behind Ryo and helping him stand.

"Actually, I came here to meet someone, but I saw you falling and made a slight detour."

"You are Zo's father, are you not?" Ryo wondered and the man started nodding and laughing aloud.

"Yes, I suppose she spoke of me?"

"She did mention that you were coming." Ryo nodded.

"Oh, good grief, where are my manners? I did not mean to drop in uninvited on your birthday, Lord." He bowed again.

"There is no need for such formalities. You are family, please, join the party. I am sorry you had to meet us this way, but this is my good friend Cale."

"And I am Orion!" Orion declared flying down in the middle of everyone. "What's going on here?" He growled and glared at George.

"George, this is Orion, Master of this chateau. Ruler of the Skies."

George bowed more deeply to Orion, as he turned around confused.

"Ah, you must be Zo's father." Orion surmised as the man nodded smiling. It was possible to see the similarities between Zoë and George. They both had high cheek bones and the same golden hair, but George's hair was dotted with gray. "Ryo, are you alright? What was that brawl about?" Orion opened his arms to Ryo and Ryo welcomed him wholeheartedly, falling lightly against his warmth.

"Franz challenged me to a fight earlier. I guess I just lost control of my rage when I saw Yuli's life threatened. I had to fight. George saw me and came to investigate."

"Cale, will you show George to the party and help him find Zoë?" It was more of an order than a question.

George and Cale both walked up the stairs, but Orion didn't do anything until he couldn't hear their footsteps anymore.

"When's your birthday?" Ryo asked as if nothing had just happened.

"I haven't celebrated a birthday in over one hundred years." Orion admitted calmly.

"How are you supposed to know how old you are?" Ryo whispered touching his own face, where Orion had punched him.

"Every New Year I chalk up another number." Orion leaned forward, now closely examining Ryo's chest wound.

"How old are you?" Ryo gasped when Orion laid his hand on the wound.

"Somewhere between sweet sixteen and none of your business." He whispered moving up to Ryo's throat. "You're a mess." He sighed and gathered Ryo into his arms, bringing Ryo back to their room. The party was winding down anyway.

Zoë was ordering people around, trying to get the party back to normal which wasn't too hard.

Most of the people there thought it was a grand show of Ryo's strength, a wonderful stunt, and they shunned Franz. His father left the party early, taking his son with him. Lexis had promised to discipline his son thoroughly.

Now people were talking and celebrating again.

Zoë was sighing with relief when Cale tapped her shoulder. She spun around and her face went from total surprise to shock and thrill. Her father, whom she hadn't seen in decades was standing before her.

"Father!" She yelled, throwing her arms around his neck. They embraced for a long time before starting to talk about their time apart.

They talked and danced and ate together until the small hours of the morning when the party finally ended and the sun rose.

Ryo gently pulled his shirt off and threw it to the side in pain. Orion straddled Ryo covering their bodies with a comforter. He leaned forward and slid his tongue out onto Ryo's bloody throat.

He licked up the silver blood and moved closer to Ryo's chest also licking the cut there. After the blood was gone, Orion kissed Ryo's mouth.

The healing started, the wounds glowing yellow, but this time Ryo also pushed back with his own power. It wasn't to heal Orion, only to send a chill over his love's body.

It felt odd to have it done to himself, but it also filled him with Ryo's essence which was more then what his senses could comprehend.

He was aroused and tired at the same time.

"How'd you do that?" He gasped after their mouths parted. Orion laid his head over Ryo's heart gasping.

"It's exactly what you do to me. My powers are increasing in strength like yours. Are you alright?" He wondered worriedly.

"You overwhelmed me, it was wonderful. Like feeling the peace of Heaven."

Ryo kissed his head. "You are the peace of Heaven."

"There is more to me than meets the eye." He whispered.

"I knew that from the first moment I laid eyes on you. Your beautiful body bewitched me, then and it still does now."

Ryo held Orion tighter.

"I don't deserve you." Ryo admitted feeling Orion's muscles tighten between his legs.

"Why do you say such things?" Orion ran his fingers over Ryo's chest, and abdomen.

"Because it's true. You are by far more beautiful than I. You have the biggest heart ever. You are far more intelligent. Did I mention beautiful?" Ryo listed with a bit of humor at the end.

"I love you with all my heart." Orion whispered seriously. "No offense to you though, but you'll never win this argument. You are more beautiful and I am more seductive." Orion finished licking the nipple closest to his mouth. The memory of Ryo suckling his fingers during the party, flooded his mind. Ryo gasped, his eyes flying open and fluttering closed again.

"That's what I forgot. You are more seductive too." Ryo cried out as teeth grazed his nipple. He ran his fingers through Orion's hair, holding him still.

Ryo's hands moved up Orion's back muscles and through his thick silver hair. Orion's crystal blue eyes glowed as he moved down to Ryo's hips, his fingers teasing the lip of his pants.

A knock came to the door.

Orion growled frustrated and collapsed on Ryo, who laughed, finding the situation hilarious.

Orion pushed Ryo back onto the bed after he started to rise –getting up himself- and kissed his head.

"Sleep now, angel." He whispered using his persuasive powers and Ryo's eyes closed in a deep slumber.

"You devil." Ryo whispered with his last breath and his eyes fell shut.

Orion walked over to the door and snapped his fingers, making him fully clothed again, then he opened the door gently.

The Ronins stood before him, all very worried and confused.

Orion walked into the hall with them to escape Ryo's ears so he wouldn't hear their conversation and wake. The door shut quietly and they talked.

"What was that power?" Cale questioned coming closer to Orion, worried. He referred to the skirmish when Ryo lost his temper.

"It was the strength that is hidden inside him. It's the same power that emerged when he fought Talpa. It was triggered by the emotions he was feeling. His mind was closed off to me until his power had lowered drastically."

"Is he hurt?" Sye asked, Kento at his side.

"No, he's just exhausted his power. He's usually had the power of the Ronins to support him before, but this was all from him. It could not have lasted long, but what scared me was how long it would have lasted, had I not interfered." Orion looked ashamed. He remembered Ryo's limp form, so weakened by the heavy use of power.

"He almost killed them." Rowen stated, Seiji beside him.

"Yes. We have a lot of training to do if I'm going to help him control this. It took me decades to master it. I only hope he won't have to go through what I had to."

"Can we see him tomorrow?" Rowen wondered turning to leave.

"No, wait. You can, but are you all staying, or leaving?" Orion asked the Ronins. They glanced at each other.

"We'll stay as long as he wants us here." Dais answered. Sekmet –leaning on his shoulder- nodded.

"I'm staying too." Sye added eagerly.

"Why not?" Kento laughed smiling.

"We're here for him." Rowen yelled happily.

Seiji nodded and winked at him:

"I'm here too. Whenever you need us, we'll be here."

Orion nodded, knowing it would make Ryo very happy to know that.

The Ronins left for bed.

When Ryo awoke, he was in a heavenly soft bed, which felt great against his bruised and sore skin. His head lay on a soft pale chest. The light blazed through the open window. It must have been midday or early afternoon. He had slept the morning away.

Ryo felt the body under him shift and he saw silver hair. Orion caressed his unclothed chest, moving down lower to be near Ryo's face.

They kissed.

"We have to talk." Orion whispered and Ryo pulled back a little resting on his elbow, and looking seriously at Orion. "Do you want him, that youth Yuli, here? With you?"

Ryo half closed his eyes. "No. Where did this come from? Why Yuli? Did I say something last night, I just don't remember?"

"You have never expressed your feelings to me about anyone but Seiji."

Ryo gulped down his worry and hugged Orion. "That is because I have not cared about anyone else. You and I were always partners one way or another and I always told myself that if it never worked out with Seiji, I would try and win your heart." He paused. "You still love me, don't you? You still want me to be yours?"

Orion held him tighter, laughing softly, but not mockingly.

"I will always love you and I will always want to be with you, but the question is do you want to be with me? You were obviously enraged when his throat was almost slit and it is that passion that drove you to transgress past your limits."

"I was outraged because he is like a child that I take care of and have for years. He is like an animal you see tortured and can't help but love and want to help. My emotions are languishing only for you. I love all my friends and may kiss them, but I only want you. This has been a great oppression on me for a while, but, Orion, I am one hundred percent sure I love you. Yuli recently showed me that he had feelings for me, and that was before I even decided to stay here. My heart belongs only to you. I have never made such a vow to any other, Orion. You believe me?"

Orion was crying, he kissed Ryo passionately. Ryo kissed away his tears and licked his eyes clean.

"What will you tell him? He obviously thinks he can come after you and he thinks something is there between you two."

Ryo watched the silver in Orion's hair shine in the sun as he thought. Just then a knock came to the door. They were both half clothed so there wasn't a reason that person couldn't come in.

"Who knocks?" Orion wondered.

"Yuli!" The youth called through the door. Ryo and Orion glanced at each other.

"What better opportunity to tell him?" Ryo shrugged.

"Enter." Orion sighed sitting up as Ryo did. Yuli came in, in a T-shirt and slacks. He walked cautiously over to the bed and sat on the edge.

"Morning. Are you feeling stronger?"

"Stronger than the fight this last night, yes, but still weak, I'm afraid." There was silence between them. "Something wrong? Do you want to ask me something?"

"Did you really go postal because of me? Because that guy, Finn, hurt me?" Yuli's brow was raised his heart thumping in his chest.

Ryo's features remained the same while he thought of an answer. His gaze fell on the gash on Yuli's neck. Yuli's blood, dried along the cut, marring his beauty.

"Yes, I was worried about you and I feared for your life. I knew they wouldn't hesitate to kill you, but they would if they knew it could possibly get me angrier than I was. You saw Finn cringe before me, begging for mercy." Ryo sighed and rested his hand on Orion's thigh. "Yuli? You have feelings for me, I know." Yuli glanced worriedly up at Orion. "No, don't look at him. Look at me." He sat up. Yuli did.

"Ryo, I know what you're going to say. I know it kills you to have to say it. You love all of us the same and I should move on and find someone else."

Ryo's hand held his face level.

"I was going to say that and ask you something else." Yuli tried to hold back the tears, but they came anyway. "You know they have feelings for you? The guys. All of them. You have been something to look at for years, but you always seemed more interested in girls." Yuli's mouth practically dropped as he remembered the little touches from the others that had lasted too long or glances that were a bit too seductive. "Sye's been trying to grab your attention for at least a year. Go see him."

Yuli kissed Ryo's wrist and tugged him closer.

'_One last kiss.'_ He begged, his mind full of sorrow.

'_Another kiss, yes, but not the last, Yuli.'_

Yuli gasped as Ryo covered his mouth with his own. It was passionate and sweet, without being too deep like Orion's kisses. Their lips glowed yellow, like the cut under Yuli's chin. Yuli was bewitched. Ryo was pushing an exquisite power into him.

The cut healed easily and Ryo's hair fell off his shoulder. When they pulled away Ryo whispered into Yuli's ear:

"It's only the last if you hate me now and never want to kiss me again."

Yuli smiled, and gasped as Orion got closer to him, sliding away his tears, with the pad of his thumbs.

"Go find your companions."

Yuli blushed fiercely, then stole a kiss from Orion, their lips only touching for a moment, and ran off, closing the door gently behind him. Ryo laughed at Orion's dazed look until Orion ravaged his mouth and pulled him back onto the bed.

Ryo was up and about with a lot of built up energy by the next few hours. He nagged at Orion until he was thrown out of the room. Orion was trying to finish something. He was writing in a book Ryo had never seen before in some language Ryo had never read or heard of before. He walked away frowning until he found Zoë and her father.

Ryo slowly bowed his head to Zoë and she did the same.

He hugged her smiling.

"Good morrow." They both smiled.

"How was your sleep?" Zoë asked.

"Wonderful. Yours?"

"Most unusual. I had a dream that we were both mortals and we went to a very big elaborate place that seemed almost _demonic_ with some of the people there wearing black from head to toe. They seemed like older children." She began.

"High School." Ryo replied nodding patiently and waited for her to continue. Angels remember their dreams remarkably well. It is a skill acquired through the years that is extremely helpful in telling the future. Although sometimes the dreams are just hilarious and stupid.

"The Ronins went to this school as well and they were all big and bulky; brawny fellows, like, how you say, _'jocks'_." She struggled with the word. "Anyway, we are all in the Mess Hall with all these other... students –I suppose you would call them- I don't know. I call it a Mess Hall because that is what it was. It looked like some huge bomb had fallen in the place. Food was everywhere and as you and I entered all the Ronins were shoving their hands into their trays and tossing food particles from their trays at us!"

Ryo began to laugh as she tried not to, letting out a snigger every now and then.

"What do you call it?" She searched for a word.

"Food Fight!" Ryo snickered.

"_Yes_!!! That is what they shouted as they pummeled us with pudding and other fattening snacks that they had intended on consuming until they saw us! Other students in the room looked dead because they had been hit by food and we were the only ones standing. We dodged the food until finally slipping on some fallen soup, we fell to our doom and were covered with vegetables and meat products."

Ryo broke out laughing.

"You have the most bizarre dreams, Zoë." Ryo patted Zoë on her shoulder as he continued to walk.

George didn't bow to Ryo so Ryo merely waved.

He jumped out a nearby window instead of using a door. The doors were really only there for proper people, or those who couldn't fly.

Ryo landed on his feet from the three storey drop. He stretched his legs, arms, and back, then started doing wild tricks. He did flips, handstands, kicks, punches, and took up fighting positions. He went through his practice sessions for each style of fighting he knew, sometimes mixing them up and starting again.

There was a light coat of snow on the ground now, but it was melting in the warm rays of the sun, though it was very cold out.

Ryo sensed something behind him and spun around only to be pinned by Goldeye, on the wet and dirty ground. He started laughing as the large cat licked his cheek where his wound had been. Ryo ran his hand down the length of the cat and was playfully swatted by Goldeye's tail.

'Merry birthday. I saw you last night by the way. That was _some_ fight.'

"I didn't see you."

'Cats have a way of being able to hide in a crowd people without ever being noticed.' He replied.

He broke into laughter.

"I challenge you Goldeye!" He shouted and stepped away. The tiger stared at him with an extreme interest in the idea.

He wore no armor, merely his golden, blonde, and white hair glistening in the sun. Gold made up most of his body, but that wasn't why his name was Goldeye. His name referred to his second sight. His mind's power and great abilities, that travel far beyond any normal beast.

'Challenge me?! To what?' He chuckled, shaking off some snow from his fur and he purred.

"A race. Through the chateau, into the castle, through the East Wing, to the North, then down the West, and out the South. We each go in together, but take two different paths and whoever comes out first wins."

Goldeye peered into Ryo's mind, seeing no trick to the playful idea.

"Do you not trust me?" Ryo's hand shot to his hip as he frowned, hurt. Goldeye rubbed his length against Ryo's body in apology.

'_Please_, I like the idea. Let's race!'

Ryo's frown disappeared and he pet Goldeye, scratching above his eyes for a moment.

"Hey, where's White Blaze anyway?" Ryo questioned. Goldeye glared over the edge of the chateau toward the Earth.

The chateau resided on top of an extremely large mountain that was unreachable by humans, or machines.

"Oh, he stayed on Earth, near the mansion." Ryo acknowledged and they turned to walk to the garden.

'We go in together, and each take a different corridor, right?' Ryo nodded. 'I'll go straight then.' Goldeye filled his lungs, though he didn't speak aloud. 'You know this is against the rules.' Ryo nodded. 'This will be fun.' Goldeye smirked under his thick fur, his eyes gleaming, with the prospect of getting caught challenging them even more.

Many people filled the ballroom entrance they had come in. They cleaned and tried to rectify the mess of last night.

"Do you mind creating a path?" Ryo asked gesturing to the mess of people.

Goldeye's chest puffed up and he let out a long, demanding roar.

Everyone jumped back in fear.

'Go.' Goldeye sighed and they both rushed to the stairs nodding a thank you. Most of the servants merely laughed and went about their work shaking their heads.

"Kids." They sighed.

Ryo didn't take the stairs he jumped the rail and took off down the hall nearly running over the noblemen in long robes, with gold necklaces that had been standing there.

Ryo saluted them with two fingers and shouted a goodbye to Goldeye, who he saw out of the corner of his eye nearly run over the same men, but instead jumping over them.

"See you on the other side!" Ryo took off up the stairs he was presented. He didn't call his great speed to him, that would be cheating.

Chandria walked in the servants corridor with her mother holding her tightly.

"Mommy, I'm fine." She sighed, knowing she wouldn't win the right to be able to walk off by herself for a long time.

They could either go forward or take a right here and Chandria ordered her mother to stop quickly as they both looked oddly down the corridor in front of them. A sound of fast footsteps approached, and to their right they could now hear a heavier form coming up quickly.

"Hey, its Lord Ryo!" Chandria hollered in her mothers ear and they both smiled, but he wasn't stopping.

"Where headed you Lord?!" Chandria's mother asked as Ryo past them in a tornado of wind and speed. Chandria's mother's dress flew off in the direction Ryo had been headed, then he stopped and turned a corner going right.

"Racing!"

It was the only word Chandria's small ears had caught, then they heard the heavier footsteps coming behind them and turned just in time to see Goldeye's fur fly inches from their faces in the small corridor.

He jumped onto the wall to stop his ascending speed and ran along the corridor, continuing with his great velocity and power. He did the same thing on the turn Ryo had made only now he went left.

Chandria's mother made sure no one else was coming before back tracking Ryo's route slowly making sure nothing was around the curved stairwell before advancing.

They didn't say another word until they reached the ballroom and saw everyone in a flutter, but preparing supper nonetheless. Most of the guests had left by now, but still enough remained that they used the long oak tables.

Dais and Sekmet were walking slowly down the corridor, now hungry.

A lady walked toward them, still shaken from the night before, this was Marcie. She greeted the two with a small bow and that's when they all heard it.

They looked back down the corridor, the way she had come. There were two corridors that met there, like a vee. The sound was coming from both. It sounded like thunder and Marcie got closer to Dais, who was nearer to her and clung to his arm frightened.

Ryo could be seen running out of the one on the left and gold fur came out of the one on the right. Ryo was laughing, until he saw the trio standing there.

"Excuse us!" He shouted. They jumped to the side suddenly. As Ryo got closer to them he leapt to the ceiling, grabbing onto a skylight, as Goldeye sped off down the hall under him.

"What _are_ you doing?" Sekmet spat looking up at Ryo oddly as the angel punched the window open and climbed up grunting.

"Racing." He sighed and closed the window running along the roof path that was cluttered with snow.

Pegs on the sides of the path made it easier to run. He jumped onto those, running on the side of the path. The pegs were only inches wide and a one hundred foot drop greeted him, should he fall.

He was laughing as he entered through another skylight on the opposite side of the castle. He had made it over the North Wing and now had to travel down the West and out the South to win.

He saw this as the best way to burn some energy and time. He only hoped Orion wouldn't catch them and ruin the fun.

Using his powers of stealth, even transgressing his normal silence. He hoped that Orion's keen hearing wouldn't detect him, because his path led right by Orion's room.

Ryo snuck by Orion's room without a sound or a word from him. He thought he had made it in the clear and jumped for joy, but Orion appeared suddenly in front of him and snagged him off the ground.

It knocked the wind right out of him as he was carted off in the opposite direction.

'Goldeye!' Ryo shouted out in his mind. 'Orion caught me! Get out of the chateau quickly, before he finds you too!'

Goldeye received the information and was saddened their race was over.

'I would have won too.' He sighed as he hurriedly exited the chateau.

Orion had Ryo slung over his shoulder as he strode on down the corridors, as Ryo gasping for breath that still hurt to come into his lungs.

After a while of running in the opposite direction Ryo had been going in, Orion stopped in front of a large oak door, hand carved with stars, flowers, leaves, and vines.

Orion opened the door and took Ryo in with him. The room was very steamy and large. Ryo realized this was the bathing room. It was empty at the present moment because this was Orion's personal one. Ryo hadn't been in here too often, once or twice maybe, but it was only on an occasion that Orion couldn't stand how dirty he was.

Ryo was outside so much, he usually bathed in ponds, or lakes and he would sometimes sit out in the rain. That is what he would call 'bathing' and Orion did not like it at all.

Orion would try to bathe Ryo on these occasions, but Ryo would sooner see Hell freeze over. He would throw huge fits of anger and have a vexed temper for the rest of the day or perhaps week.

"Let me go!" Ryo ordered, truly angry with Orion for once. Orion slapped his butt, then shut the door.

"You hush!" Orion commanded and set him down slowly. Ryo tried to run for the door and was caught immediately. He screamed when Orion pulled his hair. Orion took his rapier out and held it to Ryo's hair. "You will undress now and take a bath or I will slice all of your hair off, _then_ you will take a bath."

"You wouldn't dare!" Ryo shouted. Orion pulled him by his hair closer to the water and up to his face.

"Are you quite sure?"

Ryo scowled hatefully. He began to loosen his shirt and Orion gave him slack with his hair so that he could do so more freely. Ryo did this until he had removed all of his clothes and thrown them to the side.

"Sit in the water."

Ryo –still scowling- walked into the soapy, extremely hot water. It didn't bother his skin at all, and with the threat to his hair still close by, he sat in the water naked and angered –like an infuriated child.

After thinking about it he realized he was quite dirty at the moment. He had been working out before Goldeye found him, then he was rolling around on the wet soil, then running all over the roof and through dusty places that hadn't been used in a while, and that was only that day, but this was still no reason for a bath. Orion could have just told Ryo he was dirty and that he should clean up. Ryo would have gone –fully clothed- to some lake or something, jumped in a pile of snow, anything to avoid this.

Soon he felt Orion sit next to him and run his hands over his chest. Orion moved in front of him, parting his legs and kissing his belly button.

"Why do you hate baths?" Orion asked him softly.

"I hate water." He stated simply. Saving Sye when Talpa had separated them was bad enough, then he had almost died down there. All his dealings with water had always been bad. Why should baths be any different? "Always have, and you know that." He answered curtly and leaned away from Orion, completely not in the mood for intimacy. He tried to stand and Orion grabbed his arm. He sat back down frustrated.

"Do not be sore. Stay with me for this one bath and if I can not make it pleasurable, then you never have to take one again."

Ryo didn't even want to stay there at that, but the promise of never having to do it again was nice. He sighed in defeat and Orion took that as a 'yes'.

Orion drew closer; Ryo's body was still half dry. He took a bottle of sweet smelling oils and put some on his hands. He massaged Ryo's back, worked knots out, and loosened tense muscles. Ryo moaned and groaned at every pleasure-filled moment.

He moved to Ryo's front and changed to using his mouth and hands. He rubbed and massaged Ryo's abdomen, while licking, kissing, and sucking his torso.

When he tried to pull Ryo to the deeper end of the bath, he resisted.

"You're being difficult." He stated.

"I want to be dry." Ryo complained grumpily.

"I won't dry you off if you get out now." Orion warned with a playful glare.

Ryo pushed past him to the edge –considering Orion's words an allowance for him to be able to get out- but Orion had his arms around him as he touched the side.

He was kissing Ryo's skin. Slipping his hot tongue onto the dry flesh behind his ear. His hands wandered over Ryo's abdomen pinching and teasing.

Ryo gasped and leaned back against Orion. He had found a sensitive spot.

"Stay in the water. Let me apologize for my rude behavior the other day. I want to make it up to you."

"What rude behavior?" Ryo asked gaping; barely able to think any longer.

"I hit you." He reminded gently and Ryo turned around in his grasp and kissed him passionately.

Ryo let him touch, caress, and kiss, but it didn't help much with his hate for the water.

He eventually let Orion pull him into the deeper end, then felt Orion's hands move down his stomach and hold him. He gasped in the sensuality of it all, as Orion's hard shaft rubbed up against him.

Orion held him harder and he wrapped his arms around Orion for stability. Ryo found the wall behind him and gasped with shock feeling how cold the marble was, contrasting to his fiery skin.

He looked into Orion's eyes and saw them filled with lust and desire and he moaned pleasurably under their heated gaze.

Wrapping his arms around Orion's neck, he pulled their bodies into complete contact, then timidly slipped his legs around Orion's waist so that his lover completely supported him.

"So beautiful." Orion murmured as he kissed Ryo again.

In the afternoon of the following day, Orion was first to awaken.

"Angel?" Orion sat up, immediately waking Ryo, who turned onto his side trying to find sleep again.

He realized where he was and wondered how he had gotten there. He was half dressed and still a little damp.

"Angel?" Orion questioned again softly. He snaked an arm around Ryo's waist and kissed him.

"Love?" Ryo answered.

"Do you still hate baths?"

The question brought back some kind of memory from the day before. He had been taken to the bath by Orion and they had made love. A sweet, sensual love that he would never forget, even after death... whenever that was.

Orion had probably taken him back to their room some time after he had collapsed in the heat of their love.

"I will tolerate them." Ryo promised leaning back against Orion.

"Is something on your mind?" Orion asked kissing his damp hair.

His lover smiled and blushed slightly. "You were my first and it was wonderful."

Orion seemed shocked by this. "Your first? I thought that you and Seiji...?"

Ryo shook his head and put his arms over Orion's, wrapping around him. "I took Seiji's virginity away; he didn't take mine."

Orion smiled now happier than before and he kissed Ryo's neck. As the taste of Ryo's skin reached his senses he felt the urge to draw on the spot, so he erotically sucked on the soft skin, now smelling like Rosemary. He sucked harder on the sweet tasting flesh until when he moved away to look, the area was bruising. Ryo was gasping with pleasure and rubbing his hand down Orion's thigh.

"You still a virgin?" Ryo asked slowly, slightly off balance from the ministrations on his neck. Orion took a moment to respond. "I'm sorry." He apologized quickly and felt Orion squeeze him tighter for a second.

"It's alright, Ryo. I'm not." Ryo didn't know what to say to that. He felt somewhat disappointed, but how could someone as aged and beautiful as Orion ever be a virgin? The disappointment was minimal though and he simply enjoyed knowing that Orion was his now. "I was raped when I was younger." The senior angel declared to his lover softly.

Ryo turned in his embrace and held him tightly, resting his head on Orion's chest. Orion went on.

"A friend of my fathers. He was supposed to be taking care of me. I was only sixteen. I didn't know how to fight, my family was poor. We hid among humans in a small coven. I had no friends. I was something to look at, I knew, because everyone did ogle me wherever I went." The angel explained sadly. It still troubled him slightly, even now, but he was more worried of how his lover would react than anything else.

Ryo quickly ran through his thoughts as he absorbed this. He didn't want to seem heartless to Orion, but any words he could say would be empty words. How does 'I'm sorry' help someone who had been abused as a child. He could only relate to his angel on so many levels of this and being forced into sex at a young age was definitely not one of those things.

"I have no words of comfort for the pain you have suffered, Orion. I have only love for you now." He paused with a serious look upon his face. "I gave you all of myself, and I would also give my life for you. I would never do you wrong, my angel. I love you with every bit of my being."

Orion held him tighter. "I know, angel. I am not saddened about it. I have recovered; it was a long time ago."

"How long ago, my love? How long have you lived in this world, that I have not known of you? How long have the gods hidden you from me? How long have I been deprived your beauty?"

"I was born long before you, Cherub. There is no need to be exact."

"I would like to know."

He sighed and looked into Ryo's glassy eyes. Orion leaned forward and kissed Ryo's slightly parted lips.

"A bit older than two thousand years." He whispered.

Again, Ryo had known Orion would be old because Zoë had said so before, but his actual age was almost staggering. He had been around before the creation of Christianity.

"Have you ever had anyone else to love? Like me?"

"There is no one else like you, Ryo." Orion replied with a tender voice.

"You know what I mean." Ryo told him firmly with a glare.

"Let us not talk of the past, but instead look toward the future."

Ryo nodded and got up. Orion sat up missing his lover's heavenly heat the instant they were separated.

"I think I'm going to go for a run. Clear my head." He answered, knowing what Orion would ask.

"Will you join me for lunch first?" Orion asked standing and pulling out some clothes from his wardrobe. He pulled them on and offered Ryo a cloak; he denied it.

"I'll skip lunch, I'm still full from supper." Ryo answered walking to the window.

"You didn't have supper." Orion reminded and Ryo shrugged.

"Oh, well." He sighed.

"Or lunch." He continued.

"Stop." Ryo whispered.

"Or breakfast yesterday."

"I guess I must have eaten a lot at the party." Ryo announced as he leaned on the windowsill nonchalantly.

"You had a piece of cake." Orion reminded grumpily.

"And some wine." Ryo defended.

"Come down to lunch with me, please?" Orion whispered leaning on the bed post, exposing his belly, and leaving his legs open slightly.

'_You're playing dirty.'_ Ryo thought to himself, though Orion read his thoughts and smirked. He looked out the window briefly and felt Orion at his side in a moment. He wrapped his arms around Orion, placing kisses up his neck, on his face, and mouth... craning Orion's neck for just the right spot.

Orion took Ryo down to lunch though Ryo didn't feel hungry at all. He had little, only an oatmeal mix of greens and herbs, for energy, and some wine.

Orion watched him eat, not saying a word. It bothered Ryo, but he didn't say anything to press on the subject.

Goldeye came walking into the room slowly, letting his paws barely drag on the floor. He slinked over to Ryo and nudged his elbow gently.

Ryo turned to look down on him. "Let's go for a run." He suggested with a smile and Goldeye nodded, licking his arm.

'We should get moving.' Goldeye suggested and Ryo leapt onto his back. His knees tightening on the cat's ribs.

"I'll be back in a while, Orion." Ryo waved to Orion who merely smiled.

They left in a flurry of wind.

Goldeye felt he should show off somehow. He ran at his fastest gait, trying to impress Ryo. They ran through great forests, villages, and leapt over large rivers. They spent hours exploring caves and valleys, just for fun.

Darkness had come and they were still not ready to head home. After they napped in the grassy mountains for a few more hours they decided to head back.

Orion knew that Ryo loved to be outside. He needed to be outside the castle and away from the chateau as much as possible. It distressed Orion because he could not always go with Ryo. He wanted to. Desperately sometimes –but his duties and his leadership role held him to the chateau. He felt almost jealous of Ryo's greater amount of freedom, but he knew Ryo needed it more than he did. He was still very young and now that he was an angel, he yearned for the forest and the feeling of running free alongside woodland creatures. He enjoyed the challenge and craved it badly. Orion would indulge in these challenges sometimes, but he mostly watched or stayed behind when they occurred. He had once felt the same way as Ryo and liked to allow himself to act childish more often than ever after he'd met Ryo.

Orion had walked out into the garden thinking of this and stayed out for so long that Zoë came out looking for him, worried.

"Where's Ryo?" Zoë asked.

"Out on a run. Try not to ask him too many questions when he returns. He will be back in a short while."

Zoë nodded happily.

She tugged Orion inside and he was bombarded with food. He laughed at all their determined, yet worried faces. He felt like a bit of a hypocrite in this as well. He had scolded Ryo for not eating when he himself had not eaten the past two days either.

"Master, you should not worry us so." Marcie complained.

"Master is hungry?" Chandria's mother asked placing a large plate with food in front of him.

Chandria tugged on his sleeve.

"Master? Where is Lord?"

Orion's smile turned warmly on her. "He is coming child. Why don't you go wait for him in the garden?"

Chandria smiled and ran toward the garden entrance. She had gotten up from her sleep a while ago.

Ryo had not come home during the night, but she wanted to be the first to greet him when he did return.

Outside the night was fading to daylight and the sun would shine in less than two hours.

George came over to join Orion. Gold rings glistened from his fingers, an expensive leather jacket caught Orion's eye. Zoë had never expressed that her family was rich before.

'_I wonder why she never spoke of him.'_

George bowed before sitting. "Master, Zoë speaks of you quite often. She seems quite attached to you all."

"We are quite attached to her as well." Orion retorted slowly trying to find the meaning of George's sudden change in speech, as if he were below Orion when he had not acted so before.

"I appreciate you taking care of my angel all this time." He looked down into his lap timidly. "Her mother died when she was younger and she's never had anyone to relate to really. I suppose I'm really no help."

Orion listened intent on finding the answer to his riddles.

"I didn't even want to teach her the proper way to fly. I thought it would be too dangerous. Zoë is blessed with immortality, from her mother, but I am not. I became ruler of my kingdom because the people liked me and thought I made wonderful decisions and I led them well. When you came to our kingdom I had yet to become king. She hated me and I imagine did not speak of me much to you at all. She was ashamed that I didn't want my wings. She was ashamed of me and I don't blame her."

"George, if you want your little girl back just say it. She is a wonderful angel, and now a fine fighter. I do not mind her leaving if she is happily returning with you. She could leave anytime she wishes. It is only love that ties her here."

"Love? Who?" George questioned seeming worried.

"Ryo, and I, and many other angels. We are all family. We have lived and fought together. She once ran away when she was younger. She had not liked the way I handled things. She thought my methods of teaching were cruel. She wanted all people to be at peace and thought that because I taught others how to fight that I was encouraging wars. I found her cold and alone in a dark forest. She was hungry and scratched all over from animals and briars, and sharp trees. Her clothes were ripped and tattered. She sat there crying. I ask her if she wanted to come with me and she nodded. She opened her arms to me asking me to help her up. I told her to stand on her own feet or I would not take her home. Zoë picked herself up and walked toward me. I took her small form into my arms and healed her wounds. She fell asleep in my grasp as I carried her away. Zoë has remained loyal and strong ever since and the very next day she asked me if I would teach her to defend herself. Her training began soon after. She was always one of my favorites."

George was smiling and crying happily. "You are truly a great father to them all. You are patient and kind. A much better father than I."

Orion shook his head. "I am merely older and wiser. I have centuries of learning behind me, you haven't barely reached seventy years of age. Mortals tend to take longer to gain knowledge of how to raise children. That is why elderly people make the kindest of child keepers." He started to eat the food on his plate after Marcie glared at him angrily. He smiled as he glanced at George.

"Master!" A shout came from the garden and Sky Racer came charging in, her body covered in blood.

Orion's head shot up.

The sun had only one hour until it would rise. Ryo hugged Goldeye around his neck while the golden tiger walked.

'What's wrong?' Goldeye questioned, referring to the embrace.

"Nothing. You have been wonderful lately, is all. The guys complain that my parents were mountain cats, so now I am a half human, half cat creation."

Goldeye felt Ryo's laughter through his skin; it warmed his soul.

'Because of your grace, agility, and smarts?' Goldeye guessed.

"My eyes too. I think that we have become very good friends since we met one year ago, yes?"

'Of course.'

"And we seem to understand each other more because of my catlike qualities, yes?"

'I suppose, yes.'

"I seem to bond with you better than the others. You seem much wiser than even White Blaze. I was very impressed when I first had that conversation with you. You're so intellectual and beautiful."

Ryo ran his hand down Goldeye's neck, then caught himself and pulled his hand away and stretched.

"I'm sorry. I'm going off as if I've never met a cat that was older than I am. White Blaze is about one thousand years old. How old are you?" Ryo cracked his back, then his neck, left, and right.

'I am far too old to speak of.'

"Come on. Tell me." Ryo lowered his face to be near Goldeye's.

'Three thousand.'

"Impressive." Ryo didn't look shocked, he rubbed Goldeye's ear and pulled his head up. "What's that?" They both looked up toward the chateau which lay just ahead. "The chateau's on fire!"

Goldeye's head flew up to look at the mountain top. Smoke billowed from it.

Ryo called his wings to him and flew up to the chateau as fast as he could.

The billowing smoke blinded him momentarily, but his other senses grew sharper with his anger rising and his power coming to the surface.

Death reached Ryo's nose.

The scent didn't have to have been smelled before. It's just something you know, especially with his heightened abilities transgressing beyond their limits. It burned his eyes: the fumes, the smoke, the death.

His anger started to flare and he flew down quickly. As he got closer he saw bodies of angels, and his power came to the surface. His power raged and he screamed out as he saw Chandria in the garden. He flew to her and raised her small form into his arms delicately.

She was barely alive. Her clothes burned, smoke rising from them. Her small hand grabbed his shirt as her tiny amethyst eyes opened and glared into his face.

"Lord! Vampires! Save the others!" She lost consciousness.

Ryo could feel Goldeye come up behind him, his quickened breaths coming harder and more fiercely.

"Watch the girl!" He growled and took three large powerful steps away before leaping into the air, rage filling every corner of his being.

He flew off to the castle to find Orion and Zoë and the other warriors. Where were his friends?

He flew inside and all the Ronins were in the dining room. They barely breathed, but he could still hear the short gasps of pain from them. They bled and looked about to die. He ran over to Cale –the closest to him- and pulled him into an embrace.

"Cale! Say something!" He cried and felt Cale hold him as well.

"Ryo, they took Zoë! They killed George... the others!" He whimpered seeing his companions sprawled about in bloody heaps of bodies.

"Vampires!" Ryo snarled, laying Cale back down. His eyes were taken over by blackness, his power released.

"Ah, so this must be the Lord of the castle! I bet you were wondering where the Master of the house is!" A vampire cackled as he floated down from the ceiling. Orion in his arm, slung over his shoulder, like a trophy.

Blood matted his hair, bloody scratches were all over his legs and arms. His face was covered in scars. Claw marks marred his back.

The vampire dropped him to the floor and his head rolled helplessly to the left. He gasped from pain.

'_He's still alive.'_

Ryo smirked at the vampire and walked toward him.

The vampire snapped his fingers and a net was dropped on him. It was tightly woven and barely left room for his breath. Vampires automatically started to pound on him from the other side of the net. He waited until they were all around him then pushed out with his power, throwing them all away. He burned the net off of himself, but more vampires punched and kicked and bit him.

They drained his blood as quickly as they could, but power still filled him so he fought back with all his might.

He threw them off only to have them come back with more to help. He threw fire at them and they burned and died, but more came.

He tried to burn them all, but his power was weakening with more vampires biting him.

He fell to the floor when the leader snapped his fingers again. They had dropped him and let go; he was weak and almost fully drained.

This was it. The end of all pain.

A/N: See now I told you at the beginning that you were going to be angry by the end, but like I said before the whole 'chapters' thing started as just a way for me to be able to remember what happened where and in which part of the story because on my computer it's all about 400 pgs. This is just the way they originally divided up. shrugs Please comment on the dream if you review **and remember:**

**All you have to do is review for you to find out what happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So review!!!!! I promise, it's painless...**


	4. The Lairs

A/N: Someone new reviewed me! Several someone's in fact! I was ecstatic! Being complimented at five in the morning is better than coffee!

Inda: Thank you for your review. I'm actually not sure whether I should alter the ending or not. I'm tentative to what I should do. Children... I know I've been thinking about whether I should add that, but I think the way it ends now explains everything. You'll like the ending if you stick with it. There's a little bit about kids in there. You'll find out you can be homosexual and still have a family. –smiles- I think it's very sweet.

Kiran: Thank you for reviewing. If you couldn't tell, Ryo is also _my_ favorite character of all time, from the show. So of course I had to make the perfect mate for him, right? I'm glad you're reading it, and here's chapter 4 for you.

Ah! My old friendly reviewers:

Quiet Chaos: "Master of Manipulations", hmm? Well, I'll just take that as a compliment. –smile- I think you'll find the ending to this chapter a bit more bearable than the others. I promise to try and always remember to warn you about cliffhangers like that. I, myself, don't like going through an entire chapter thinking it will end well, when really it leaves you in this horrible position. That's what's best about coming upon a story after it's already mostly through its chapters –you aren't caught up in the bad cliffhangers because the next chapter is there for you to continue with. I'm very happy you're sticking with me though. Thank you.

Silverwyvern: I suppose keeping you on the edge of your seat is pretty much my job description for the next few weeks while I send these chapters in. –laughs- I warned everyone about the cliffhanger so no one would chew my head off once they get to the end. Sometimes those kinds of remarks are funny, and others... Thanks for commenting on the dream. I guess I was just thinking about my mornings and what one would say to another upon seeing them after a night of good sleep and the dream just kind of created itself. –chuckles- Good thing you were under that table during your food-fight. Some of us aren't so lucky. –thinks of past encounters- And don't worry. I haven't forgotten about Zoë at all. You'll find out what happened to her.

Maxine: I didn't intend on making Ryo out to seem like a player or anything. I just realized I wanted to continue after the first part and it just happened with Orion's crush being more than it was in the first part. Oh, and Yuli... There are alot of pairings in this story, even straight people -shocker- and Yuli wasn't one of my main concerns in making this. He was more of an antagonist. Someone to disrupt the plot a wee bit more than I already was. I didn't really know who to put him with so... and don't worry, this story will end and I'll put the whole thing up. Just keep reviewing for me.

A/N: I alter POV's so you all can get a very good picture of what's going on from each person's perception and what is happening to all in general. I didn't feel like really going through the trouble of checking the other chapters, but I can't seem to be able to use my little star/astris thing to show when there is a change in point of view or time. So now I use ' - ' this thingy, dash-mark whatever. So anyway, that was bothering me because I have it my chapters, but it won't show up in the story. It sucks for me cause it's tons of extra work I'm too lazy to do. But I will. For my readers.

A/N: You'll notice I have really long replies to my reviews. That's because I love getting my reviews and reading them too, but replying to them is just as fun for me.

Chapter 4

One vampire tried to bite Ryo again, but was thrown to the other side of the room by the leader.

Upon contact with the wall the vampire exploded into a thousand different pieces and he was no more.

Ryo's body was covered in gashes. His clothes were torn and the skin under them as well. Three great rips across his chest, two crossed unevenly over his back. Five in total covered his legs, back and front.

He stayed motionless.

Orion's one good eye looked over to Ryo and both his eyes stung with tears. His left eye was bloodied closed and useless until it was healed properly.

He had been jumped by the evil creatures. He had fought them off and gotten several servants and people to safety in a secret area before the vampires had found him again.

He knew there was death all around him.

The Mystic Five weren't in this room, but he had heard them at the beginning of the battle, they had called out to him.

He heard a great roar enter the room.

Goldeye was thrashing fiercely, as they dragged him in. The vampires that dragged him in –in a half broken net- were beaten up badly. Goldeye seemed virtually unharmed aside from his predicament.

He thrashed his claws out with even more force when he saw Ryo.

The leader of these vampires walked over to Ryo and picked him up. He kissed his cheek then dug his teeth into Ryo's neck.

Ryo's mouth was open wide, as if to yell out in pain, but no sound came.

Orion wanted to cry out like Goldeye did, but he was too weak. The tears flowed though. The hot bloody tears flowed down his face. They would kill Ryo. He closed, his eye and tried to find Ryo's mind. He could faintly find it.

-----

Ryo was on the ground of white, his wings closing over him for protection against unseen forces. The color of red that floated around him was growing weaker. Orion rushed over to him.

He tried to hold Ryo, but the world started to collapse and he was thrown back to his own body.

-----

More tears choked him, then he saw the leader stop, right before Ryo was dead. He picked him up and strolled over to the tiger. He kicked it.

Goldeye didn't show that he felt the assault. He merely glared at the rotten bastard that held Ryo so delicately, and kissed his forehead as if he actually cared.

"What sweet blood this creature holds." He sighed. "My name is Rafe, sweet angel. You will come with me, now."

Goldeye wanted to gash out the vampire Rafe's eyes.

"Bring the tiger. The sun will rise here soon. We must be off!" The vampire turned toward Orion and walked over to him. "I am taking your child, Orion, the one you love. It would hurt you more to see him gone forever than merely dead. Hurting you is what makes me happy. I hope you suffer for all times."

He turned, his cloak billowing behind him and with the blink of an eye they were all gone: Ryo, Goldeye, the vampires... all but the dead ones.

Orion struggled to get to his feet, but could barely move his fingers. Sobs escaped his mouth as he cried out in one long scream of agony. He calmed and decided to wait and let his strong blood heal his body.

-----

Orion felt someone at his side and gasped when warm lips touched his.

His lungs hurt, even the expanding hurt, but he felt the power of someone healing him. His eye was painfully sealed shut, but now all his pain was leaving him.

After this person's lips left his he opened his healed eyes and gasped. He sat up quickly thinking only of Ryo, Zoë, Goldeye, the angels that lay dead around him, the Ronins that clung to life desperately...

Lips touched his neck and he turned quickly to see someone he had met at Ryo's party. A beautiful young angel that had been turned into a vampire.

This creature was very kind and gentle with him at the celebration, like now.

He wondered how the creature could have healed him and remembered them sneaking off to a dark corner talking, and the sweet thing had taken some of his blood unasked. Not enough to be noticed by anyone else, but enough to obviously give him the gift to heal.

"I came back for you. I heard of what happened to you. It is still light out. The afternoon." The beautiful agile creature helped him up.

Because of the special circumstances of Josh's vampire change, he was half of both races and could therefore walk in daylight with minimal pain from the bright sun.

"Josh!" Orion gasped relieved and felt his arms encircle Josh, searching for comfort. "They took him. Help me save them, please?" Orion glared into Josh's dark brown eyes.

"I will help you. We should check to see who lives first and heal as many as we can. Waiting until morrow would be best, it is almost sunset now. We heal them then rest and go after your companions at sunrise."

Orion nodded and they went off, healing all of the Ronins and checking outside to find most of the angels, witches, and soldiers dead.

Josh healed Chandria and the little girl threw a fit asking what happened while she was knocked out.

"Josh! Help me!" Orion yelled from the plateau of snow and grass that stretched around the castle. Josh was at his side in a second.

"The Mystic Five." Josh breathed in shock. They were all next to each other.

The wounded elf, Coji, wrapped his arms around a dying werewolf, Daemon.

The warrior Sky Racer –her stomach gashed open- lay behind Centauri and the Bounty Hunter Coro.

Josh was quite delicate in healing them as was Orion.

That was all Orion could accomplish though. He was too weak and tired to heal another, and truth be told, there hadn't been that many to heal at all.

The Five stood, assessing the situation, but they need only look at Orion's crying form sitting in front of them to realize what had happened. They gathered round him after thanking Josh.

"We're going to put out all the fires. We shall return shortly, Master." Daemon stated and they went off –putting out all the fires and getting a good look at everything on the inside. Tapestries were shredded, paintings burnt or with holes in them, carpet burnt. Some rooms were burnt, thrown afire, or left alone because the vampires hadn't reached them yet.

They returned to Orion and gathered around him again, with questions.

"Master, where is the Lord?" Centauri asked rubbing his arm soothingly. Sky Racer stood in front of them all staring at the small smoke piles that remained, not getting any bigger. Snow started to fall just then and she spat at it.

"Fucking weather." She spat again and turned to Josh defensively, her arms crossed.

"Lord Ryo was taken along with Goldeye and Zoë. Most of everyone else is dead." Josh answered their saddened faces.

"No!" Orion shouted as if suddenly remembering something. Josh knelt down sadly beside him and put a hand on his.

"Orion, they're..."

Orion shook him off and stood. "No! Come with me!" He yelled and ran into the castle stumbling. They followed him trying to keep up. Orion led them to the staircase and banged on a stone. Nothing happened. He turned to Coro.

"Please, punch this stone with all your strength." Coro stared at him oddly for a moment, but obeyed.

It made a crunch sound, but nothing happened. They looked at Orion as he held up a finger for silence. The stone then retreated into the wall and a door hidden in the wall was opened.

Whimpering could be heard now in the darkness of the room.

"They are gone! Come out." Orion whispered and twenty people exited the room.

Marcie embraced Orion, then herded the other women, children, and some five or six men out of the room.

These were the only people in the room when the vampires had attacked.

George had sat at his left, but George was on the other side of the room –a sword impaling his middle. He had tried to run, but a vampire had caught him. Thank heaven Zoë hadn't been there to see it. She had wandered outside before the incident. She was probably caught out there after a good fight.

The warriors they had healed outside filtered in slowly. Only about thirty remained in all, totaling only about sixty angels left out of the two... maybe three hundred there had been.

Orion walked over to the stairs and sat. He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling his silver locks angrily.

"Where have they been taken?" He demanded of Josh.

"You are in no condition to go after them now. We should wait until morrow."

Orion jumped to his feet and walked right up to Josh who wasn't afraid at all. "Where?" He snarled, a growl growing deep in his throat.

"I am not telling you until morrow." His brow furrowed slightly.

"I'll find them myself!" He passed Josh, but didn't get far before Josh was in front of him. "You want to have a battle of speed, I'll win, and you know it. Let me pass, Joshua! I do not wish to hurt you."

"Then don't. You would hurt me by leaving. Please stay, so I might be rested by morrow and go with you. You won't ever get at them without my help."

The angel growled again and turned away, walking back to the stairs. "We should stay together for the night. We will take turns on watch. My chamber is big enough for you all. Get a blanket and pillow and come to the West wing. I will be on first watch. We should get as much sleep as possible, everyone get moving."

They all rushed to their own rooms and got blankets and pillows.

Orion had been right, his room was big enough for all of them and undisturbed by vampires.

Most of them slept on the floor.

The Ronins piled on each other, comfortably resting on the bed, trying to sleep, though they knew Ryo was probably going through Hell at that moment.

Sleep eventually took them all.

-----

Orion sat on the roof of the castle, right above his room. It was flat and was covered in snow, but Ryo had cleared all that away so he could sit on something dry.

Ryo hated wet things and had cleared all that snow away a while ago. He sat on the roof in that same spot so often, staring up at the beautiful stars that now came to Orion.

The light snow that had started before, had stopped sometime whilst they had been inside and made little damage at all.

Josh sat next to Orion, making himself known, but not being loud. It was the polite thing to do.

Josh leaned on Orion's shoulder. It had been three hours that they sat up there without a word to each other. Orion had fallen asleep on the roof, his body on its side slightly curled up, like a child's.

Josh removed his cloak and folded it up. He placed it under Orion's head and took the next four hours on watch. Nothing happened. Nothing came near the chateau, not a bird, not a fly, not even the wind dared move that dark morn.

-----

Ryo awoke on a cold, stone, floor. He gazed lazily around, keeping his head still, incase another was watching.

He was weak and tired, and his senses were dulling, but he could tell there was one other form in this dreary cell with him. He turned over feeling this day couldn't get much worse, if that's what it was. Was it day? Or night? He couldn't tell. There was no window; only blackness. The cell was fairly big with old hay littering the floor and scattered about. There was nothing to sit on.

On the opposite side of the cell there were titanium metal bars. It looked like there was no door, but then again he couldn't see much of anything around himself anyway. He had also been hit in his nose, so his ability to smell was damaged badly.

The other form in the cell sat in a corner, on their side, a rather big form. Ryo realized it was Goldeye and he groaned trying to get up and reach him.

He was so weak he moved only inches at a time, but made it to Goldeye's side. The tigers eyes were closed, his head on its side.

His chest was bloody, but no visible cut could be noticed in the dark.

Ryo leaned on his elbow sitting up and stroked Goldeye's fur, trying to comfort him.

The cat started to glow and change. He snarled and growled deep in his throat, but the growl turned into a moan as the tiger turned into a human. A man with long blonde hair. His dark golden hair was flaked with dried blood, his bare chest was bleeding, and Ryo could now see a cut from his neck to his right chest.

Claw marks along his thighs and legs scarred his perfect form. His thin hands were pale and beautiful. He had long nails and extremely smooth looking skin.

Ryo hadn't the energy to be shocked. He merely accepted this change as possible, considering the tiger's human emotions constantly expressed in his words.

He touched the dirt covered face, dusting away the dried blood from a cut across his forehead.

Ryo gathered all the strength that remained in his body and leaned forward, tilting Goldeye's head up. The human pink lips met his and turned yellow along with most of the man's body.

This beautiful creature's wounds healed and half way through this man's eyes opened, shocked.

He was afraid that Ryo would not like him, now seeing this form of him. He had been so weak that he couldn't hold the catlike body any longer and changed back to his half human, half cat form.

Now he was worried about Ryo.

Ryo broke away, his eyes half open, his body limp. He couldn't hold himself up any longer and rolled onto his back next to Goldeye, questions swimming around in his head.

They stared at each other for a while, then Ryo closed his eyes. It hurt to keep them open now. Goldeye was completely healed and Ryo was exhausted beyond all reason. He shouldn't have even logically had the capacity to heal Goldeye, but he had.

Goldeye leaned closer to Ryo hovering above him and looking through his human eyes at the almost dead angel below him. His eyes were gold as a tiger, now they were so deep gold they almost looked brown.

He could see in the dark, their encasement, but all he wanted to see was Ryo.

"Lord." He sighed, afraid to speak his name. His unused voice resembled that of a bell. "Please look at me." He begged. It hurt Ryo, but he opened his sore eyes and looked up into Goldeye's beautiful face.

He raised his hand unsteadily and touched the perfect, pore-free skin.

Goldeye sighed leaning into the touch. It was wonderful to feel Ryo, still warm, and under his skin, his blood still boiled, but how long would he last like this?

"You can change?" He questioned gently, almost a sigh. It was a whisper; a rasp murmur.

"I never told you, Lord. Forgive my rudeness." He begged and bravely kissed the hand now massaging his cheek. Hot tears flowed down his cheeks, and Ryo wanted to push them away from the gorgeous face, but he had not the strength.

"There were reasons, I am sure." Ryo rasped closing his eyes, his head falling to his side.

Goldeye looked over Ryo's scarred and bruised body. His neck held several bites from those horrible vampires.

He gently tilted Ryo's face up, craning his neck. He leaned closer to his neck cautiously, but Ryo had no objection to whatever he would do. Nothing could be worse than what happened to him before.

Goldeye tentatively licked the silver streaks from his neck and face. "I owe you my life." He sighed in Ryo's ear. "I will die protecting you, if it must come to that."

Ryo patted his naked thigh gently, then stroked his thin stomach. Goldeye's laugh was so soft, he purred. Ryo smiled, he could swear this was a cat beside him from the sounds he made and how natural it felt to scratch his tummy.

"Don't let them see you human. Keep your tiger shape so they won't hurt you. Please, just stay here if they come for me. You hurt me more by letting me know you are being hurt and in pain."

"And you? I should just sit curled into a ball playing with my tail while you are tortured like before?"

Ryo didn't remember this. "Before?"

"They took you before. I was too weak to object. They brought you back as you are now and you just laid there for hours. I was afraid you were..."

Ryo kissed his cheek. "I remember nothing. Do not worry. I can travel into my mind and hide if it gets too bad. Please do not worry. Orion will come for us soon. He is alive and finding Zoë as we speak. Endure this only a while longer. Now change back. Keep me warm please?"

Goldeye obeyed, willing to do anything to make Ryo more comfortable.

He laid his thin stomach over Ryo's legs as his form grew longer, a tail pushed from his skin, fur grew, his bones cracked and adjusted instantly. He stretched, resting his head on Ryo's chest lightly so as not to squish him as his body gained volume.

He watched over Ryo as he slept... a guardian protecting his angel.

-----

The smell of death still lingered in the air. They should bury all the people that died here before leaving.

'_No one should have to do that. I'll do it.'_

At his great speed and agility, Josh did bury all those poor people. He made little grave stones for them that would be replaced by better ones at a later date, but he didn't have the time.

He knew all of their names from the party. He had met each and every one of them as possible victims of his vicious thirst, but then he met Orion and changed his thoughts to that of friendship.

Now he would never know them. He would never know their interests, their passions, what they were good at, how old they were, what they liked to eat, or how they laughed.

He merely used his long nails to scribble names on rocks above their resting place. This was a horrible job and he was glad no one else would have to do it.

"I was going to do that earlier, but I decided against it when you joined me."

Josh was shocked to hear Orion right next to him.

They both stared at the graveyard.

"We'll find proper head stones for them, and make a fence around the area. This is sacred ground."

Josh looked quickly at Orion as he saw him slit his wrist with a dagger. He held his arm out onto the beginning of the graveyard and his blood dripped onto the ground causing flowers to bloom as if by magick. Blue orchids, orange tiger lilies, red roses, yellow daisies, pink tulips, purple lilacs, and many more.

The flowers made a border around the area. Orion's face was hidden with shadows, his mouth frowning as the magick worked from his blood. Josh watched the blood continue to drip until the border was complete, then Orion lowered his wrist, but the blood continued to come and fall at their feet. Josh gently took Orion's wrist into his hands and brought it up to his lips.

Orion made no argument, he let Josh suck gently at the flesh. Silver blood ran into his mouth and filled him with power and strength.

He didn't want to stop, but he did. He had a great respect for Orion and didn't want to ruin Orion's respect for him.

Josh licked his lips seeing more blood still come from the gash. He bit his own lip so it bled and touched his tongue to the blood.

He pulled Orion's wrist to him again and licked his gash with the blood from his lip. It healed the gash instantly.

Orion sighed examining the wrist.

"Sacred ground?" Josh asked still tasting the blood on his lips. Orion was a skin shade lighter than before.

"The blood of an angel on the ground makes the soil and area sacred and holy. It is protected from all vampires entering."

Josh looked at the flowers again. He tried to step over them, but was burned. He jumped back into Orion's grasp.

"You're only half vampire, so you won't erupt into flames like they will if they even float above the area."

"Why did you have to cut your wrist though?" Josh asked.

"It is such a powerful spell that my powers alone won't work the spell. My blood is needed. Give a little to get a little." He sighed. "Making this area sacred from any attack was worth it."

"We should go back to the look out area and rest until the sun rises." Josh proposed.

Orion nodded and they left the graveyard for the look out.

-----

Zoë sat in a dark dank cell, hanging onto consciousness, with little strength remaining in her.

Chandria's mother had been with her, but the vampires took her and killed her. She could smell the corpse in some other part of the dark place, probably propped up as some sick humor for them.

She sniffled her nose and spat to her side. The cell stank of death and urine. She had been there for many hours. She could sense the moon hanging in the sky, but it would go down soon.

Orion was near here. She could feel him, his power renewed and surging, though weakened slightly. He was still strong and with another. A dead thing, half dead. A vampire but alive.

'_Undead.'_

The first thing that came to her mind, but with angels' blood running through his veins, mingled with vampires', and Orion's.

She rested her head on a small pile of dry hay she had collected for sleep and fell into unconsciousness.

She had trained her mind to sense when anyone came near so that she would awaken immediately. No one was near, but if they came she would awaken.

'_Ryo, I hope you can hold out a little longer. Orion will find us.'_

-----

Goldeye heard them. His ears prickling with the pain and torment. They were coming again. Most likely to take Ryo. What could he do? Disobeying Ryo's wishes was the last thing on his mind.

He stood fuming. Blood still covered his thick fur. It looked like he was still wounded. He would sit in the corner and hope Ryo would come back alive or next time they came he would slice off their heads.

He pretended to still be hurt and the scent of death and blood around him gave the vampires that same impression.

They took Ryo silently laughing in the dark. He sat up once they were gone and growled.

'_I wish I could speak with him telepathically and console him.'_

Goldeye thought of a poem Ryo had liked a rather lot and spoke of constantly. He referred to William Blake's poem: _'Tyger'_

He thought of the words in his head. He had memorized them, Ryo had spoken them so much.

_Tyger, Tyger burning bright_

_In the forests of the night_

_What immortal hand or eye_

_Could frame thy fearful symmetry?_

'_Ryo had said the words reminded him of White Blaze and I. He spoke of how it resembled him and I.'_

' "My flaming power next to your bright eyes and my fearful gifts frame the world we live in." '

'_Ryo is so wise when he speaks. It is as if he was thousands of years old, but he is not yet out of his first life.'_

_In what distant deeps or skies_

_Burnt the fire of thine eyes_

_On what wings dare he aspire_

_What the hand dare seize the fire?_

_And what shoulder and what art_

_Could twist the sinews of thy heart_

_And when thy heart began to beat_

_What dread hand and what dread feet?_

_What the hammer? What the chain?_

_In what furnace was thy brain?_

_What the anvil? What dread grasp?_

_Dare its deadly terrors clasp?_

_When the stars threw down their spears_

_And watered heaven with their tears_

_Did he smile, his work to see?_

_Did he who made the Lamb make thee?_

_Tyger, Tyger burning bright_

_In the forests of the night_

_What immortal hand or eye_

_Could frame thy fearful symmetry?_

'_Ryo loves to speak of how it relates to everything around him and the world we live in. He preached of how wise Blake had been in his words and he himself had learned the poem to heart as a child.'_

This made Goldeye smile. To remember those happy times he had, when Ryo was so serious and grand. He would stare for hours and listen. He had felt like a child wanting to hear a story that had been sermonized a thousand times.

'_Orion if you do not get here in time to save Ryo, I will never forgive you.'_

He hated to think such a thing, but Orion had had plenty of time to get his act together. He should at least try.

'_Ryo can't hold out much longer.'_

-----

Zoë gasped as icy cold water droplets fell on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see only darkness around her. Her senses had improved since she had fallen deeply asleep.

'_He's close.'_

She thought looking around. Orion was near. She heard a great calamity down the hall and jumped to her feet unsteadily. She leaned against the wall for support.

A figure came into her view.

He was hard to pinpoint in Zo's mind. The man was extremely tall and covered in blood, but not his... another's.

'_Vampire.'_

She recoiled scowling, but perked up after Orion came into her view at the front of this prison.

She almost fell over with joy getting to the bars. Orion snaked his arms through the bars and held her arms steadying her.

She was very battered and hurt, but nowhere as bad as he had been. Zoë looked thinner than she had been a day ago, but alive nonetheless.

"Orion, who's that?" Zoë questioned, her voice alien to herself. It sounded hoarse and weakened.

"Josh helped me find you. I wish I could have gotten here sooner, but he thought it would be better if we came in the cover of day."

"Vampire?" Zoë spat leaning closer to Orion's warmth. The bars kept her from hugging him, though she wanted to desperately.

"He once was an angel, but that will be explained. He is a friend and will help us find Ryo and Goldeye."

"You haven't found them yet?!" She gasped her eyes widening. "I heard _'them'_ talking. He is far more worse off than I. Goldeye was near death, but Ryo looked like a corpse with a few breaths left to it. Go for him! Please! Find him now! Quickly!" Zoë was hysterical.

Josh broke the lock on her door with a snap of his nails over the rusty metal and tugged the door open.

She came out and leaned on Orion angrily, she shook him.

"Hurry!" She gasped and coughed.

"They can not do much to him now! Orion, I will take this angel back to the chateau, find the Lord and bring him back as quickly as possible. There is another underground cavern, can you find it alone?"

Orion nodded already trying to find Ryo's power signature, or Goldeye's.

"Take her! I'll find him and be after you before dark!"

"Orion, wait!" He stopped at Zo's words. "What about my father?"

Orion took a step closer to Zoë. "He was killed. He was trying to save an angel and was killed." He lied, then didn't know what else so say. Zoë didn't even cry, she merely nodded. Orion went off down the hall and Josh took off toward the exit with Zoë.

The sunlight burned her eyes. She had been in darkness so long the sun hurt for a while, but the pain soon left her and she was feeling better.

-----

Goldeye watched the rotten creature toss Ryo back into the cell carelessly.

He did indeed look like the living dead, though still alive. After the vampires left he stood cautiously and stopped. A form came from the shadows.

A child Goldeye had seen before. He couldn't quite place it until he came out of the darkness.

Goldeye growled angrily. He lowered his head, his tail swooshing dangerously behind him, his claws digging into the stone under him.

It was Franz. The brat that had challenged Ryo on his birthday a while ago.

He held a large bowl in his hands. Cautiously, he tip toed over to the cell bars and stopped immediately when he saw Goldeye.

He was afraid to move. Goldeye took a step toward him, baring his teeth.

"Please, no. I only want to bring you some water." He tensed. "My father made some kind of a deal with those devils. I didn't know he would hurt Ryo. I'm so sorry tiger. I didn't mean to hurt Ryo that night, I was drunk. That is no excuse, but please, this water is for Ryo. His throat probably hurts and this will help. Herbs are in it. Take it beautiful tiger. Give it to Ryo so he might heal some and survive this horrible ordeal."

Goldeye glared at Franz as he whispered.

He sniffed the air slowly and smelled no poison in the bowl. There were herbs in the bowl and good herbs, for healing.

Ryo would feel better after drinking that, how to go about getting it though? Spilling such a treasure would be disastrous and stupid.

"I'll give you the water and leave, if you will transform. I will give it to you without spilling a drop if you change into a human and come for the bowl. You must be able to sense there is no one else around. Maybe you can even sense my thoughts, I do not lie."

Goldeye did check and after a long moment of consideration, his heart won over his pride and he changed slowly.

When he was fully human, his blonde hair shined, illuminating the cell. Franz gasped at how beautiful Goldeye was.

Goldeye moved staying close to the ground until he was at the cell's edge. His face was straight and warned Franz not to move.

His delicate, pale hands reached slowly through the bars while his eyes never left Franz's. He pulled the bowl into the cage, never touching Franz.

After the bowl was with him, he moved more quickly to Ryo's side without spilling a drop.

Franz was still staring at Goldeye's naked form, but Goldeye ignored him. Franz was sincere in his worries and would suffer more seeing Ryo in this condition.

He leaned Ryo up onto his chest –down on one knee- he put the bowl down next to him and stroked the smooth blank face.

Goldeye pushed raven black hairs away from Ryo's mouth and parted the sweet cracked lips with his fingers.

Breath barely went by the lips, over the teeth. He was just barely alive.

Goldeye lifted up the bowl, but seeing how Ryo was so weak he knew he could never be able to drink from the bowl. He took a swig of the water and swallowed it making sure it was not harmful or too strong, then he took another swig only not swallowing it. He touched their mouths together, letting the warm liquid pour into Ryo's dry mouth, over his broken lips.

Ryo gulped it slowly and painful, but sighed letting his breath go gently.

Goldeye repeated this until Ryo's eyes fluttered open.

Goldeye placed the half-empty bowl down again and stroked Ryo's face and neck not saying a word.

Franz was still over there, but Ryo was too weak to see him; he only saw Goldeye.

"Did they hurt you?" He whispered.

"No, angel, they hurt you." Goldeye corrected. Ryo touched the pale thigh again and tickled the tender skin with his nails. He felt Goldeye purr deep in his throat that time and it felt good.

Ryo's head rested on Goldeye's strong shoulder gently. His long thick hair tickling Goldeye's chest and stomach.

"I'm not hurt as long as you aren't."

Goldeye purred with laughter again. This was not true, but sweet and kind. He kissed Ryo's pale skin.

"You tease me." Ryo's quipped, inaudible to human ears, made Goldeye smile momentarily. Ryo was serious again. "You feel good... warm."

Ryo was forcing himself not to think of Orion. Of how he was nearly dead, of how he might be dead right now, like the other hundred angels laying around the chateau in pieces.

Goldeye leaned his head down, his hot breath falling on Ryo's neck, he smelled the beautiful hair and licked the old wound delicately. He pulled away hearing quick footsteps down the hall. Franz heard them a second later and Ryo was too weak to care.

He hadn't the time to change back and frankly, Goldeye didn't want to. He would fight off any vampire that confronted him right now, but the only person that came around the corner was Orion in a blaze of silver hair.

Franz was on his feet in a moment and pushed against the wall fiercely in less time than that. Orion pinned him there while Goldeye closed his gaping mouth and looked sheepishly over Ryo's body hugging him sweetly. He touched their heads together and closed his eyes.

'_Thank goodness, you are safe now, angel.'_ The half-cat thought briefly.

"I let you live before, boy, but this stunt will get you killed!"

Franz was being choked, he struggled to speak. Orion's anger was flaring as if he were Ryo and he almost lost control, but gained it back and dropped Franz to the ground. The boy gasped for air while tenderly holding his neck.

"I didn't know Father would do this! I had no hand in it, Master! I swear!" He coughed again as if he had a terrible cold, bellowing to regain the breath he'd lost.

"Orion, it's true!" Goldeye spoke without moving. Orion stared over at him shocked for a moment, then realization came over him.

"Goldeye." He sighed. He walked up to the cell gaping at Ryo, then Goldeye again.

He found the door and tore it off. Orion walked slowly to Ryo and knelt down opposite Goldeye. They each kept their eyes closed until Ryo spoke:

"Goldeye, you did nothing wrong. Orion has no reason to be angered with you, don't feel ashamed." Ryo lifted his hand weakly to touched Goldeye's pale arm.

Orion leaned forward and kissed Ryo's cheek.

"I am not angered, only shocked, angel. Goldeye, you protected Ryo and struggled to help him, I know. I have no quarrel with you, if anything, I have love for you."

"Ryo saved my life with the last of his strength. I owe him my life. I am forever in debt." He caressed Ryo's cheek.

"We must go. I will heal Ryo at the chateau. He will be safer there and after a great deal of rest we can come back and destroy those who hurt him." Orion stood.

"Do not speak as if I am not here, Orion, I will have no part in a mass killing." Ryo announced sternly. "The vampires must be destroyed yes, but I will not kill Franz's father for what he did. George has already paid the price when that vampire took his life as revenge for his betrayal. I learned it all. I will not kill the humans, they will be prosecuted in a court and will get what they deserve."

"We will speak more after you are healed." Orion promised laughing slightly. Goldeye picked Ryo up.

"Let us try to keep your ability to change to ourselves. I suspect you do not want to tell everyone, yes?"

Goldeye shook his head and gently moved Ryo into Orion's hands. Orion looked over Goldeye's form fully, he was gorgeous.

"I wish to speak with you later." Orion watched Goldeye bow as if saying yes and change immediately. He carried them out and back to the chateau which was quite a distance away.

Orion ended up flying home with Ryo, while Goldeye walked through the forests and many territories spanning more than fifteen square miles.

It took less than an hour to get back to the chateau with Ryo.

-----

Orion took Ryo to his chamber where Zoë already sat. She smiled from the bed as Orion flew in with Ryo in his arms.

Josh came to Orion quickly and took Ryo to the bed. Orion fell onto the end of the bed exhausted. Zoë came up and sat next to him.

"You are tired, and reasonably so, but what about Goldeye?"

Orion smiled, thinking of that beautiful creature that had stood before him. His long, fine blonde hair curling on the ends, shining in the dim light that had surrounded only him.

"He is healed and running back as we speak. Goldeye has taken care of Ryo when I could not. I owe him a great deal."

Ryo stirred behind them as Josh moved away from him. Josh had healed Ryo who sat up slowly now. His eyes narrowed when the light hit him.

"Where...?" Ryo asked happily. He covered his eyes from the sun. Zoë dashed over to the window –she herself still wasn't totally comfortable around- and closed the shutter that shined on Ryo, so he could adapt like her.

Ryo now opened his eyes, squinting a bit and looked around the familiar chamber. There had been people there, but most of everything was cleaned up; only the smell remained, but the point was, he was home.


	5. All Problems Have Solutions

A/N: The last chapter wasn't too bad, now was it? See? I'm not always as terrible as Chapter 2 and 3, but yeah here's another one. I hope the end of this one isn't too confusing. Once you read the next chapter it will all make sense. I promise. Have I lied yet? Hopefully, the cliffie at the end of this will anger you all into reviewing! -evil smile- Enjoy.

Kiran: Thanks for reviewing, Hun. And don't worry. I'll keep writing.

Quiet Chaos: Holy shit! Damn, that's the longest review I've ever had. I would have been offended if I hadn't thought the same thing of that chapter myself. You see. It used to be like three pages longer, but when I edited it to put it up on I decided to take out some of the guts of the whole thing. I still have the original version on my computer. Once the whole things out and done with I'll send you the whole thing if you want. –shrugs- I kind of feel bad about the chapter, and I hate that I was really repetitive, but I was going through like seven other stories and all my descriptive words were kind of unreachable. I don't know. Just know that it will be better. That is quite a weak chapter. You're the only one that commented on that though and believe it or not, you made me laugh. I'm not angry at all. You always give respective criticism and I appreciate that. Oh, yeah, and that bit about wanting to steal Goldeye... Isn't he awesome? I love him. He was a stroke of genius. I was dying to talk about him to my reviewers since I first introduced in the first Part. I don't know what to say about that though. I would be weird to read another story with my character in his. –chuckles- Now you've got me thinking about it. Thanks for the compliment about Goldeye. I'm glad you like him so much. If I had a scanner I'd put up pics. of him.

Silverwyvern: (I always have such trouble spelling your name.) Thank you for your comments. It made me very happy to read what you liked about my story in your review. And yes, I am quite that discouraged that the little star things don't show up. All the more work I have to do before posting the blasted chapters. –grr- Ah, Blake's poem. He's one of my favorite poets for his 'To see a world in a grain of sand...' poem. I memorized the Tyger poem first, then found a few others while reading some books. He really is wonderful, and that poem always made that connection to Ryo in some way for me, ever since I first read it, so... I just had to throw it in there too. I'm grateful for your review. I actually have a question for you though, if you don't mind. Why don't you become a member of and give signed reviews? I was just curious. Thank you and please review again.

Chapter 5

A fire burned brightly in the hearth.

Orion crawled on his hands and knees over the bed. He drew closer to Ryo happily and they embraced. Zoë came to Ryo's other side and he hugged them both with all his might.

"You are both all right?" Ryo whispered and Zoë laughed.

"I was just about to ask you that! You worried me, Ryo." She complained and kissed his neck. Ryo kissed her cheek, then her forehead. "I'm _fine_ already!" She laughed again.

Orion kissed Zo's forehead and lips. She blushed. "You both mean so much to me, I am overjoyed that you survived. We will destroy those who have done this to our beautiful home and all of the people we loved."

"Orion, all those people!" Zoë gasped and leaned into his embrace.

"Who are you?" Ryo whispered, his voice hoarse and unused. Josh seemed to jump out of a daydream he was having. His eyes shot fully open and he stared at Ryo.

Orion pulled away from Zoë to introduce him.

"This is Joshua. He told me where those vampires had taken you and helped me free you. Josh is..." Orion didn't have the words for it.

"Dead." Ryo supplied looking the stranger over. He had red hair, curly fire-red hair and deep brown eyes. Josh shrugged.

"Yes, well I was an angel, but I was bitten by a vampire. It had a rather odd effect on me." He smirked as his eyes turned red, then back to brown again.

"Thank you for helping us." Ryo bowed his head and Josh remembered his manners. He stood up quickly and bowed. "No need." Ryo waved his hand and stood himself.

"What's wrong?" Zoë asked and Ryo turned back to her.

"I must find Chandria." Ryo answered in resignation and Zo's eyes partially closed. She looked down to the ground and stood next to Ryo.

"I... I'll go with you."

Orion looked worried. He stood and raised Zo's chin to meet his gaze.

"What is it?"

"Her mother." They declared together. Ryo had already known in the back of his mind it was true. He hadn't seen her around when he had dropped in two days before, but he had heard talk of her later on while he was captured.

He tugged Zoë to the door and they walked down to the dining area where the remainder of angels and creatures gathered. The Five rushed up from the table to greet them.

"It is good to see you are alive and well." Centauri sighed smiling defiantly.

"We will fight with you until the end to get those vampires back for what they did!" Coji growled, his fists clenched. Ryo nodded putting his hand on Coji's shoulder.

Ryo's gaze fell on Chandria as she walked up to them. The room fell silent with the child's first words.

"Where's my mummy?" She asked innocently. Zoë squeezed Ryo's hand and they looked at each other. Chandria started to cry.

Ryo felt Orion and Josh appear behind them and he felt somewhat comforted. He took three steps forward and Chandria ran the rest of the distance, jumping into his arms.

She bawled her eyes out on his waist coat. He held her without a word, then picked her off her feet as if she were nothing.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, crying out in her words now.

"How dare they?! Why? Why her? She did nothing to them! I have no one else!" She cried, Ryo pulled her face in front of his.

"You have me. I will take care of you and be assured we will prevent such a thing from ever happening again."

Chandria's eyes filled with tears. She smiled a teary grin and gaped at Ryo.

"You? Will take me? Me? As your own? Me? As your child?" Chandria was deeply saddened from the loss of her mother, but she still had family...

"Ryo and I both." Orion hovered behind Ryo as he placed Chandria calmly down.

'I feel responsible for letting this happen.' Orion murmured in their minds.

'And I the same. She would have come under our teachings eventually. I am only sorry it had to happen this way.' Ryo retorted.

'Yes, lets take care of her as all of our child.' Orion squeezed Ryo's shoulder.

"You will be my fathers?" Chandria questioned, unable to believe it was true.

"And I, your mother." Zoë answered kneeling behind her.

"Mistress. My mother? Will you? Oh, how kind, you all are!" Chandria hugged Zoë, who kissed her short blonde hair and smiled.

Ryo and Orion stood at the same moment, stiff, their ears picking up heavy irregular footsteps. Ryo smiled and tapped Orion's stomach with the back of his hand gesturing to the door with a smile.

"Goldeye has arrived." He sighed and rushed off toward the door. Goldeye came in quickly and jumped on Ryo. The tiger licked his face as Ryo laughed unable to stand the tickling.

Chandria ran up beside Ryo and hugged the huge tiger. "Oh, sweet godly tiger, the news is grand! Lord Ryo, Master Orion, and Mistress Zoë have promised to raise me as their own. I have a _family _and you are my pet, are you not?" She laughed and Goldeye glared at Ryo who couldn't stop laughing. He held his stomach, curling up under the beast, he laughed so hard.

"A pet!" He chuckled. "What a sight?! The day this tiger is tame is the day Hell freezes over! Like that'll ever happen?!" Ryo erupted with laughter as people stared at him oddly. Orion understood the grand humor and started laughing himself, but he stopped when Zoë glared at him with curiously.

Goldeye pulled Ryo onto his plain of mind. Ryo had his wings like in his own mind, but this place was golden and beautiful, like a god's version of heaven, as if that place for the dead wasn't good enough.

Goldeye floated in front of him naked and beautiful in his human form, a tiger slept at his feet. It was Goldeye in both forms.

Ryo smiled.

"You didn't like the joke?" He questioned and couldn't help but laugh again.

"I don't want to be tame, but I am at your service." He whispered and Ryo stopped.

"You need not do such a thing. Please, I love you, Goldeye, or I would not have healed you. I need nothing in return but your love."

Goldeye approached Ryo and held his hand. He squeezed the hand.

"You have it." He smirked and sent Ryo back to his own world with a shiver.

Ryo wondered what Goldeye meant exactly. The tiger got off him and Ryo stood. He dusted himself off and walked over to Orion. The tiger was close behind him, his cheek gliding over Ryo's outer thigh.

The Ronins all sudden burst through the door in a flurry.

Yuli ran into Ryo's embrace and they each held onto the other as if for dear life.

"You're all right." Yuli sighed with happiness, tears rolling down his face. He stroked Ryo's neck with one hand, and leaned his forehead against Ryo's. "I was so worried, when they took you. I thought you were gone for good!" He kissed Ryo quickly on the cheek and pulled away marveling that their leader was actually standing there.

Cale took Ryo next. He had been half awake through the ordeal when Ryo was fighting and seemed most worried.

They embraced for the longest time, while others asked him questions.

"What happened? Where'd they take you?" Sekmet asked trying to hide the glee in his voice, he wanted to hug the grand warrior –he had thought Ryo was dead like Cale- but he retained the desire. A tear trickled down his cheek and he furiously brushed it away.

"I don't know where they took me, I was unconscious." Ryo whispered, he obviously didn't want to talk about the torture yet, if at all and it was understandable.

"Somewhere close to Korea." Orion answered trying to remember himself. He had not really concentrated on the location while they were flying.

"We've got you here now, that's what matters." Cale ran his fingers through Ryo's hair.

Ryo reluctantly released Cale and caught Sekmet and Dais off guard.

He kissed Sekmet's face, putting the warrior at ease. He wrapped his arms around Sekmet's neck and when Sekmet was satisfied Ryo took one arm slowly off Sekmet, then the other and he turned to Dais.

Dais conquered Ryo's mouth suddenly, with defiance and brutality. Dais' tongue flicked over Ryo's lips, teasingly, but not into his mouth. He felt Ryo's shock, which made him smile.

Without anyone noticing, Ryo slipped his hand down Dais's back and under the lips of his pants. It caused a small gasp when he pinched Dais' butt, Ryo released the warrior with a small triumphant smirk.

Ryo left him gracefully.

He hugged Sye and kissed his cheek. Rowen picked him up off the ground and twirled him around laughing. Kento pulled Ryo into a bear hug, wrapping his big arms securely around Ryo. He lifted Ryo off the ground with no effort at all. He already towered over Ryo, picking him up was simple. When he put Ryo down, he was laughing.

Seiji merely put his arms around Ryo's neck and held him. Ryo tried to comfort him with kisses to his neck, he tried rubbing Seiji's back, but his muscles were dreadfully tense.

"If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll knock you in the head so hard you won't wake up for a week."

Ryo smiled and pulled away. It seemed like the typical response to someone who hid their emotions like Seiji. He understood the love behind those words. The love of one who had cared greatly for him in the past and still held some of that passion.

"Ryo?" Yuli called, walking up to him. "What will we do about the vampires? It will be night soon; won't they come again, once they find you gone?"

Ryo smiled and rubbed his thumb over Yuli's worried cheek.

"Smart. Very smart." Ryo stated, as if he were a teacher praising a student for a correct answer, or a smart question. Ryo stood a few paces away and turned to them all. "That is exactly what I am counting on. They think if they did it once with two hundred angels, they can come back again to finish us off and it will be no problem, but they are sorely mistaken. They left the strongest of us all alive!"

"How do you know they'll come?" Dais wondered.

"Blood." Orion whispered, then louder. "Blood! They have tasted Ryo's blood. Anyone who has been with us a while knows it is silver, but only few of us can say what it really feels and tastes like." Orion glared at Josh.

"The blood of a purebred angel is very hypnotizing." Zoë continued. "Even to a human our blood tastes sweet and gives them great strength just from one sip. To a vampire who lives on blood, this is intoxicating, addicting, like the elixir of gods. Even if they do not come tonight, they will come soon. It is impossible for them to stay away."

Josh knew exactly what they meant. Orion's blood was all he thought about; it was horrible and he wished he didn't think of it constantly, but he did and what they said was true.

"Will they only come for Ryo?" Seiji asked stepping to Ryo's side and holding his hand.

"Probably. Most likely they will have the intention to kill us all, but they will want to draw on only Ryo's sweet blood. It is probably the only reason they kept him alive. Vampires have been known to do that, to keep a pet human who they will not kill, but instead wait for their blood to regenerate so they could keep drinking it." Orion was quite wise in Josh's eyes, by pinpointing the truth about vampires so precisely. He suddenly felt like he was intruding on them because he was half vampire.

"What should we do?" Kento wondered.

Ryo and Orion looked at each other thinking. They each had the same idea, but would everyone be willing to go along with it?

Zoë stepped in front of them, putting her finger up as if to accuse them of something.

"No." Zoë answered and they glared at her.

"What, no?" Ryo questioned innocently.

"I know what you want to do! _No_!" She answered plainly again.

"Zoë, you are being stubborn." Orion walked away from her slowly. He pulled his hair in front of himself and tied it with a white cloth, then left it hanging on his shoulder after he tied it near the end to keep all the silver strands together.

"I am not being stubborn. I can not believe you would allow it. I can not believe you would _suggest_ it!" She hollered.

"They haven't suggested anything." Centauri informed her and Zoë glared, dangerously at her.

"What are you two planning?" Rowen asked.

Ryo leaned on a column that hadn't sustained as much damage, behind himself. It groaned slightly, but stayed still.

"Well, if those vampires want me, then I will have to be the bait." Ryo explained simply.

"No!" They all yelled. Ryo shook his head and Zoë slapped him square across the face. Ryo didn't flinch, he stayed still, barely moving his head when the blast hit.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" She tried to slap him again and Orion caught her hand, standing beside Ryo.

"He is not trying to kill himself, he is doing what is best. It may not be too safe, but it is best. Besides, I will be with him, right at his side. The Five will be hiding nearby, and the Ronins will be in the shadows ready for an ambush with their armors. He will be well protected and I swear on my honor they will not lay a hand on him."

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I swear, you two will give me gray hairs early." Zoë sighed, laughingly, she tossed her blonde hair.

"Did you all get that?" Orion questioned. "Any problems with the plan? We will be out there tonight." He announced.

"And what if they don't come?" Josh asked.

"They will eventually." Orion answered looking directly at him.

"And if they don't?"

Orion walked up to him. "Can you honestly say you have not wanted more since last night and from several nights before. You were burning for it when you found me. That is why you came back, is it not?"

"If I say yes will you throw me off the mountain?"

Orion smiled. "I will throw you off the mountain if you lie to me." He answered.

"Yes, but I was more worried about your fledglings when I arrived, than the blood. You believe me?"

Orion nodded. "Was the desire strong?" He asked.

"Your blood is the most pleasure filled thing I've tasted since I was alive." He smiled when Orion did.

"They will come?"

"Yes." He answered.

"Sunset will be here in less than an hour, we must be quick about it!" Orion turned away and nodded to Sky Racer. "Go ahead Sky." He called and took Ryo with him up the stairs, Goldeye followed close behind, uninvited. "Give the orders! Zoë, take the others and hide!"

Sky started to take the Ronins outside to the garden and hide them in various places depending on their powers, then she hid the Five in differing places close by, depending on abilities such as strength and speed.

Goldeye sped up to Ryo's side as they walked down the hall.

He transformed into a human quicker than Ryo had ever seen him and Ryo stopped immediately, Orion with him.

Ryo closed his mouth when he realized it was open.

Orion calmly made a cloak appear out of thin air and he wrapped it around Goldeye's shoulders. The black velvet cloak hung to the floor covering all of him. Orion pulled Goldeye's beautiful blonde hair out of the cloak and it draped beautifully with the black.

"I do not know if I will ever get used to it." Ryo sighed and continued to walk. Goldeye glanced at Orion, then came up behind Ryo quickly. He wrapped his arms around Ryo from behind him, which entailed opening the cloak.

Ryo could feel Goldeye through his clothes. His body was hot and strong.

Orion walked next to Ryo ignoring Goldeye.

"We will be on the roof. Is that best or should we be closer to the Earth?"

Ryo gasped when Goldeye held him tighter, but he tried to continue to talk. Goldeye's cloak half covered Ryo as well because Goldeye was so close, he moved exactly when Ryo did.

"The other Ronins have been excelling fairly well as far as I can tell, but even if they can not jump as high as the roof, it shouldn't be a problem. Attacking wise, I think Rowen's arrows could go all of the distance. What about the Five?"

"They will not have a problem with any height I pick." Orion paused a moment while still walking. "Goldeye, I do not want you to be out there. Stay inside tonight." Orion eyed him and he scowled.

"No one knows I can transform. Introduce me as a friend to the others and I will help you fight."

Orion scowled at the suggestion. "No."

He groaned. "Or at least let me guard Ryo with you." Goldeye begged, his arms crossed over Ryo's chest.

"You will stay inside tonight until I say you can come out; it would be too dangerous for you out there." Orion growled and Goldeye defiantly held Ryo still from moving defensively and he growled deeper in his throat than Orion knew how.

"Goldeye!" Orion yelled and Ryo clenched his fists.

"No, Orion, stop!" He shouted. Goldeye's head rested on Ryo's shoulder, his face digging into Ryo's neck. Ryo could feel Goldeye purr softly, his tongue shot out for a moment to lick Ryo's neck, thanking him.

"Ryo." Orion warned.

"What harm would it do? He will not do anything wrong, just stay by my side like you, protecting me. What if you went off to fight them, you would not want me unguarded." He was far more gentle, but firm with his decision as he spoke this time.

"This is foolish, you can protect yourself and you know it."

Ryo stared defiantly into Orion's eyes. He stepped away from Goldeye, out of his reach and up to Orion.

Orion's hand wrapped slowly around Ryo's neck and danced through his hair. He kissed Ryo's forehead, then lips. His hair fell forward to cover their faces.

When they pulled apart Ryo opened his eyes again, not angered any longer.

"Please." He whispered, his breath on Orion's neck.

Orion stared at Goldeye as he wrapped his arms around Ryo.

'I'm trusting you.' Orion warned to Goldeye and the half-cat beauty stood up straighter.

"Alright." Orion agreed and Ryo held him tighter, kissing his neck.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"No, I love you more."

"Lie, I love you more." Ryo laughed as Orion gave up and they kissed again. They pulled away and Orion sighed, he gave up whatever anger he had.

"We better get you some proper fighting clothes." He sighed in defeat and Ryo tugged on Goldeye's cloak happily.

They made it into Orion's chamber and Ryo dressed Goldeye in Arabian pants and a black vest. Goldeye ogled at himself in the mirror.

"I haven't been human in so long." He breathed. Ryo came up behind him taking his hair to a brush. It glided through easily, then he tied it in the middle, half way down his back with a black cloth, like his clothes.

Ryo wore his Arabian pants, a pair of boots, a cloth belt, a skin tight, black, sleeveless shirt, a scarf around his neck, and tight, thick, bulky gloves taking up most of his forearms. His hair was up, the tie was close to the base of his neck and it still hung off his back.

"We can not call you Goldeye when you are like this, so make up a name. Any name." Ryo sat on the bed next to Orion who wore tighter pants, pointy boots, a belt, tight sleeveless shirt, and a cloak over it all.

Orion raised his eyebrow with curiosity.

"A name?" Goldeye repeated. He stopped looking at himself and knelt down in front of Ryo. "Pick one for me." He set his elbows on Ryo's knees and stared up into Ryo's eyes fascinated. His hand rested on Ryo's thigh.

Ryo thought for a moment. "Sephiroth, or Seifer for short. Which do you like?"

"Sephiroth." The half-cat answered with a purr of approval. "I like that better."

Ryo smiled.

"All right, Sephiroth, what about your abilities?" Orion asked.

"We know what you can do as a tiger, but we have never seen you as a human." Ryo agreed and Sephiroth smiled.

"You'll see." He smiled deviously. "We should probably get down there so you can introduce me to them." Sephiroth hopped onto the window and lost his smile when he saw that the sun had set a while ago.

"Damn!" Ryo shouted running to the window, he looked down and saw that everyone was in place. He stood on the window ledge and turned so he was facing the castle. He jumped up and grabbed onto the ledge of the roof, pulling himself up easily.

Sephiroth followed more easily doing the same thing. Orion was last to come, he calmly jumped up without using the ledge as a pulley.

Ryo sat on one of the pegs on the side of the walkway, easily balancing. Goldeye squatted on the one next to him and Orion leaned on a peg across from Ryo. His cloak flew about in the wind, like Ryo's scarf, and Sephiroth's vest and belt. All of their hair was tossed about mercilessly in the wind as well.

An evil feeling was set upon the castle and all of them were ill at ease.

"They're here." Josh announced suddenly next to Orion. He noticed Sephiroth just then and eyed him oddly.

A spear came flying at Sephiroth and he gracefully flipped backwards, his thin form landed next to Ryo without a sound. It wasn't pitch black out, but close to it.

It was easy to see in this darkness, but it was still a veil over their eyes. Only Sephiroth's eyes could see perfectly. Josh didn't even have the great ability to see as well as Sephiroth could in the dark.

With the swiftest agility Ryo picked up the spear and threw it in one certain direction. It pierced a vampires flesh and the corpse fell to the mountain.

'We'll have to light up this entire area.' Ryo spoke to Orion.

'You think you can do it?'

'I can.' Ryo insisted and bared his wings.

He flew about five story's up and called his power to him. It was hard, he couldn't get it to just come because he wanted it.

'Think of how much pain and suffering they have caused!' Orion ordered and they both thought of George, Chandria's mother, and the hundreds of the others that perished at these demons' hands. 'Think of those that almost perished: you, Goldeye, Zoë, Marcie, your Ronin friends, the Five, me!'

This was enough to anger Ryo beyond imagination. His eyes turned black, his body lit up, his rage flared, and every shadow for miles was illuminated.

The vampires were easily found by all. They attacked with great speed and power. Half of them split from the group to fight the warriors they knew waited below, the other half went after Ryo. They split again. A third went after Ryo and the rest took on Orion, Sephiroth, and Josh.

Ryo's power released, he was easily able to decapitate most of the vampires that came after him, killing them all with their own weapons and turning them to dust, before they ever hit the ground.

What remained was the leader that had caught Ryo before and three others.

Ryo's face was blank, as was normal in this condition. Blood drenched his clothes, not his though. All of it was vampire blood, stolen from humans mostly.

"Who do you think you are, that you could just escape like that?" The leader questioned. Ryo gave no answer.

"Who do you think you are to destroy this sacred place for angels?" Josh asked, suddenly beside Ryo.

"Quiet, half-breed!" The leader spat.

"Rafe! You think you're so great, but you're not. You had no right to commit such an act and you have no right to be here!" Josh yelled back.

Rafe was in front of Josh in a split second and he punched Josh so hard he was thrown down onto the mountain, creating a small crater. Rafe then turned on Ryo and drew closer for a drink. He was inches away when Ryo shoved his hand through Rafe's lithe body. His hand destroyed Rafe's heart and stopped him.

Ryo removed his hand and drew back a pace. He spun and kicked Rafe's head off, decapitating the already half dead body.

Rafe's body turned to dust and Ryo turned on the three vampires cringing behind him.

They were begging Ryo for mercy when three golden arrows pierced their hearts destroying them. They turned to dust and disappeared with the wind.

Ryo turned blankly to the roof to see Rowen saluting him in his armor of Strata, lowering his bow. Ryo nodded once and looking around; he saw the rest of the vampires had been destroyed.

Josh pulled himself from the ground and flew up to Ryo.

"Thanks." He whispered. Ryo didn't respond.

They landed on the roof and Sephiroth embraced Ryo, protectively; the blood covering Ryo didn't matter to him. Ryo didn't respond at first and only stared at Orion who was behind the half-cat.

Orion pulled Ryo into their own world.

He saw Ryo's body as a very vibrant red right now. After he got closer, the power went down and Ryo's form fell tiredly on his butt, exhausted.

"You have to help me with this." Ryo demanded.

"Tomorrow." Orion promised. "Rest tonight."

Ryo nodded resting his head back and pulling any strength left in him forth.

Ryo squeezed Sephiroth back and felt him lick his neck, and kiss it happily.

His eyes weren't black any longer and his body wasn't one huge light bulb, he was calm and mellow and weak.

"It is done." Ryo sighed in relief. "They are gone."

"Tomorrow we'll get Zoë to take a few people and capture Franz's father and his followers. They'll get what they have coming to them, too." Orion vowed.

Ryo nodded and they all retired for the night.

Able to sleep soundly again, everyone returned to their own rooms. Orion was asleep quickly, but Ryo couldn't fall under sleep's spell. He cleaned himself off with a water bowl and changed his clothes.

He then jumped onto the roof again and laid there staring up at the stars. Ryo put his hands under his head and relaxed his body.

After an hour he felt another presence. He knew it was Sephiroth, and knew that Sephiroth was letting him feel his approach. It was the polite thing to do.

Sephiroth laid down next to Ryo and rested his head on Ryo's stomach. He purred gently, making Ryo laugh in a soft tone. It was music, the laughter, to the half-cat... beautiful music, from a beautiful composer.

He ran his hands over Ryo's stomach, his fingers were delicate and soft, they moved gracefully and tickled vexingly.

Ryo enjoyed every minute of it and was soon asleep from the soft tickling. Sephiroth cuddled up to Ryo's side. He laid his head on Ryo's shoulder and his hand rested on Ryo's chest. He was almost asleep when he felt Ryo's arm hug him.

Early in the morning, Sephiroth awoke first. He stretched as if he were a cat and reluctantly he left Ryo, to take care of business.

He was only gone for a minute, but when he returned Ryo was gone. Sephiroth smelled Orion and sighed. He had found Ryo and taken him back inside. It was rather chilly right then, perhaps it was for the best.

Ryo woke in Orion's arms and yawned deeply.

"You fell asleep on the roof, again." Orion answered and set him down on the bed.

Ryo tested his ability to stand and did. He fixed the bed so it looked like no one had been there and hugged Orion.

"Good morrow, love." He whispered intimately.

"The sun has barely just risen." Orion laughed.

"You are my sun beautiful. I need no light from some ball of fire in space. I need only to look in your eyes; it is there. All light is stowed there."

"My little poet." Orion laughed and they kissed. Ryo opened Orion's mouth with his tongue. He explored Orion's mouth deeply.

Orion craned Ryo's neck to get a better angle and they fought for control over the others mouth. They parted only when Chandria came running into the room without knocking.

"Daddy!" She shouted happily. Zoë came through the now open door soon after, angrily. She snatched Chandria from the floor.

"I told you not to bother them!" She snapped.

"They were only kissing." Chandria cried and reached her arms out to Ryo, uncaring that Orion already held him. "Daddy, let's play a game!"

Ryo laughed leaning his head on Orion's chest, smiling in good humor of the situation. Orion seemed rather flustered and grumpy.

"Chandria! Zoë, you, and I, need to have a talk before anything happens today." Ryo pulled reluctantly away from Orion.

"All right, Daddy. Anything for you."

Ryo took Chandria into his arms and out of the room.

"We are going down to breakfast, are you coming?"

Orion nodded and followed them out.

Orion found Marcie in the dining area and pulled her to the side of the room. Marcie was now the head in most areas. Everyone basically answered to her and she answered to Zoë and Ryo. Orion gave her orders when he wanted things done and Marcie distributed everyone necessary for each job.

"How are we doing?" He asked.

"As good as can be expected, Sir. We have very few dishes for food, nearly everything in the kitchen was torn to pieces. You have seen the castle; it is a disaster. Most of any kind of decoration we had for the dreary place was destroyed." She took a breath. "The vault was rummaged through so we haven't any gold aside from what we wear. We are terribly short of hands for errands; I need more people here." Marcie had much more to say, but so did Orion.

"Calm yourself." Orion turned to the tables. "Zoë!" She came running over. "You promised to take care of the vaults today, and that Lexis Borden Charleston character?" He asked.

"Yes, I sent the Five out after what the vampires stole and they are also taking care of what remains of Charleston's men. They will be back some time soon. I sent some of the Ronins to go and fetch a bundle of gold from the hidden vault in China; it depends on how fast human planes are to when they will return. A message was sent to our neighboring angel covens for help. The help will be arriving tomorrow and Ryo sends his compliments on how well you are handling everything." Zoë complimented Marcie and took an extra breath.

"Thanks." Marcie laughed.

"He would tell you himself, but he is a little preoccupied." Zoë glared at Chandria as she hung on every word Ryo told her and asked questions only when he finished speaking.

"Thank you, Zoë." Orion nodded and she went back to Ryo and Chandria. "There you have it. Any other problems?"

"When the money arrives I will have a list prepared of everything we need, when you have approved it I will send for those items and especially food. We have practically nothing."

"I will send someone out for food." Orion answered and motioned for her to continue.

"We need wood for the fires as the next most important thing. It is getting horribly drafty everywhere."

Orion nodded continuously. "I will go out to take care of that right now." Orion left her to go about her business and went to the table where Ryo stood to greet him.

"Done?" He asked just as Ryo finished speaking.

"Master?" Chandria asked. "Do you have anything you wish to tell me? I will abide by any rule you set."

Orion smiled down on Ryo; how wily he was.

"Knock before entering a room, especially mine." Chandria nodded. Ryo almost burst out laughing. "You will take lessons from Zoë on proper behavior of a lady. Zoë, is that a problem?"

"No." She smiled. "Marcie has taken over a lot of things I have had to do in the past; I have more free time now."

"Not any longer. Watch the girl for a while, Ryo and I must go out and fetch some firewood."

Zoë nodded and took Chandria's hand.

"Lord? Master? May I come?" She begged.

"This is no time for a lesson, we must finish this laborious work by night fall or this castle will be especially drafty by morrow."

Chandria nodded accepting Orion's words.

Orion took Ryo's hand and they walked together toward the exit.

Zoë took Chandria off to Marcie.

"I will take over your work, Marcie. Take Chandria and show her the fine art of cleaning." Zoë smirked and took the parchment and clip board from Marcie. Chandria didn't seem too thrilled, but Marcie was.

"There is always enough work to go around." She laughed and brought Chandria to the kitchen.

Ryo kissed Orion's hand as they walked through the garden, their fingers entwined. Flowers bloomed on the sidewalk as they went by, it made Ryo smile and remember he was an angel.

"What have you in mind for us today? I thought we were going to work on my temper."

Orion leaned over and nuzzled Ryo's neck with his nose, inhaling Ryo's scent. He smirked.

"I think I will need training as well, your scent is driving me wild."

Ryo laughed and tugged on Orion shirt, wanting him to be serious.

"Will we be training today?"

"Yes." Orion answered leaning away from Ryo, smirking. "I am using this wood shortage as a way of training your power to obey you and come out when you want it to."

Ryo nodded. "Where shall we get the wood?"

"You will see." Orion jerked Ryo out of the garden. They traveled on foot, a few miles out to a dense area of trees.

Orion worked with Ryo for the longest time, patiently correcting him as he tried to use his temper and magic with equal distribution. They were even fighting at one point.

"What are you doing?" Ryo asked as Orion tried to knock him off his feet. He dodged the hit and flipped backward. Orion was about to punch him when he landed. "Stop!" Ryo ordered and ducked.

"Fight back!" Orion snapped and kicked his chest sending Ryo flying into a tree, toppling it over.

"I am not going to fight you, Orion!" Ryo coughed, dusting leaves out of his hair. He had tied it back earlier so it would stay out of his face.

"Use your power and fight me, lest I come down on you with my own power and you be unprotected."

Ryo jumped away from Orion as he swung at him again. He backed into a large tree and gasped seeing Orion's own power come to the surface. Ryo frowned. This was an unfair fight, Orion _had _control over _his_ power. He wouldn't be able to dodge Orion's speedy movements now and Orion knew it.

"I will warn you only once more." Orion spat, his hair flaring, his body tensing. "Use your power, call it to you. Fight me!"

"I will not!" Ryo hollered stubbornly.

Orion changed completely, his eyes turned icy blue, his skin shade lightened, the power in him was released, but not completely.

Ryo let Orion's punches hit, he let the kicks land on him, he let the cold overtake him. He controlled his power and kept it at bay, he would never purposely harm Orion. Ryo forced himself not to lose consciousness, he kept his mind on what was happening to himself.

Orion stopped after Ryo wouldn't fight back. He stopped after he had beaten Ryo's body down. He pushed his power out of his mind and knelt next to Ryo.

Sensing that Orion was normal again he painful sat up and looked into Orion's warm eyes. He swam in Orion's beauty.

"You held it in." Orion sighed. "The urge to fight back. You held your power at bay. I am proud of you."

Ryo had known it was a test, but he didn't realize _this_ is what Orion had wanted him to do.

"I was afraid if I did call it forth I would lose control. I was afraid, I would hurt you." Ryo rasped and reached his hand up caressing Orion's face.

'_Did he have to be so harsh with his teachings?'_

"Truth be told, I expected you to call it forth and gain control, but this lesson is also very important, controlling the urge."

"When shall I learn the rest?" Ryo's bleeding left arm gave and he fell to his right elbow.

"Once you are stronger, love. When your strength has returned and your wounds have healed. I will not heal them this time. Your body will gain more strength by healing itself." He sighed and looked at the clearing they had made. "Now we must bring all these trees back to the chateau for wood."

"I will assist." They both looked up to see Sephiroth in the tree above them. He leapt down and helped Ryo to sit up again.

"You were there the whole time." Orion whispered knowingly. "Why?"

"Only to watch." He answered looking calmly into Orion's eyes.

Orion sighed and stood. "Might as well come out, Zoë!" He yelled and Zoë innocently walked in front of the rock she hid behind.

"I followed him. I was only watching. Thought you might want a hand." She laughed.

'_Please don't be angry. Let me help.' _Zoë smiled seeing how Sephiroth loathed not knowing he had been followed, then she smiled looking at Orion.

"Sephiroth! Take Ryo home."

Sephiroth helped Ryo on his back and ran out of the clearing at Orion's command.

"Do you want me to change so the ride isn't so bumpy?" He asked. Ryo's breath was on his neck and it was driving him wild.

Sephiroth took off running faster, hoping the cold air would purge him of the lust and want that was beginning to build in his loins. He felt the change upon him. The urge deep inside him to run at full speed as a tiger.

Sephiroth turned when he heard a deep roar next to him. He had been so lost in his emotions he hadn't even noticed the form come up behind him.

"White Blaze." Ryo whispered tiredly and suddenly Sephiroth remembered the white tiger.

Now he realized why the urge had come. The challenge of speeding past this creature was blazing in him, but he slowed as Ryo asked him to.

White Blaze licked Ryo's arm, wondering what had happened.

"M' fine, boy." Ryo patted White Blaze gently on the head as he mumbled. "Give us a lift?" He wondered breaking his normal speech.

White blaze stuck out his chest proudly.

Sephiroth's pride kept him from getting on the creature, who already knew who he was.

"Sephiroth, please. I want you to ride with me." He whispered weakly and Sephiroth obeyed. He got on in front of Ryo, who wrapped his arms around the half-cat's waist.

He was tense and he knew Ryo felt it. It was just so odd to ride on another tiger, especially one he felt superior to, but the tiger wasn't being cocky at all.

Sephiroth calmed down when Ryo ran his hand over his stomach. He felt Ryo pull him to a high plateau.

This plateau was beautiful. It was a plateau for angel minds, and infinitely different from his, but gorgeous nonetheless.

He saw Ryo flying, amazingly nude, a few yards away from him. He looked at himself and saw himself human, which shocked him. Looking around he didn't see his other form, Goldeye, anywhere.

"He is not here." Ryo announced.

"Why?" Sephiroth asked, he felt like a part of himself was missing, but somewhere close.

"He is in your mind because you have the option to become him, but in my world you are what you are. Your true form." Ryo pointed to the wings behind himself, gleaming a glossy white in the light of the beautiful plateau.

"This is my true form?" Sephiroth questioned, looking down on his human shape, and felt Ryo suddenly in front of him.

"Do you not like yourself like this?" He gestured to Sephiroth's form casually. The half-cat shivered and lifted his hand to Ryo's face.

"I may have the right form, but I still won't have you. Without you this form is worthless. I might as well be a cat for all eternity."

Ryo gasped, recoiling. He pulled his hand away and Sephiroth regretted his harsh words. He wanted the soft touch again. He wanted Ryo closer to him, but before he could reach for Ryo again, he was pulled from Ryo's mind.

They were thrust off of White Blaze and were thrown quite a distance away from each other.

Ryo blacked out when his head bashed into a tree. All he had seen was something black hover over him, then everything was dark.

A/N: I never realize what bad cliffhangers these are until I actually divide up the chapters like this. Wow! Sucks, doesn't it? Yet another cliffy. Maybe I'll eventually take pity on you all and put two chapter together so you don't have to bare the cliffhangers, but... that would be way too nice of me. -smiles devilishly-


	6. The Journey

A/N: Thanks to all my faithful reviewers. I'm really greatful for your contructive criticism and that you're sticking with me. Enjoy this chapter, the end of this one isn't too bad.

Kiran: Yuli is such a tiny part of this story, I hope you can just ignore and/or deal with him for the entirety of it because he really isn't much of a part of it. Just an antagonist. You know? Thanx for reviewing.

Silverwyvern: I'm glad you've finally decided to become a member. -winks- Good for you. That's the only reason I joined at first. It seemed more beneficial to be able to have stories in a favorites folder and then I found out you could be emailed everytime your favorite writers put out a new chapter and I nearly shit my pants. It definitely made me very happy. I must have like thirty people on this list. Anyway, hope you're having fun with it and thanks for all your reviews hun.

-sniffle sniffle- No more reviews. -sigh- I'm grateful that i at least got two. -smiles sadly- Thanks!

Chapter 6  
The Journey

Ryo awoke with Sephiroth at his side, kneeling on the side of his bed. They were in Orion's chamber, Orion wasn't there though. Sephiroth's head shot up when he felt Ryo move. He kissed Ryo's hand and he sat up.

Ryo felt the back of his head and looked at his hand, a tiny bit of blood covered it. He felt like a drum was being played right next to his ear.

"You're awake." Sephiroth stood leaning forward with one knee on the bed in front of Ryo. He leaned around to Ryo's neck licked the skin under his ear –as if he were a cat licking his owner to make them feel better.

Ryo put his hands on Sephiroth's shoulders and pushed him away, then he grasped his head in pain.

"You should lie down." He purred and kissed the hand that held his shoulder.

"What happened? I remember seeing something black, but then nothing."

"It was a sudden shock to me as well. I don't remember what tossed us, but I remember seeing a dark figure standing above me, then it moved out of my sights and I blanked out."

Ryo sat back slowly.

Sephiroth began to move away, but stopped when he felt Ryo hold his vest tighter.

He looked back and saw Ryo's eyes pleading with him to stay. Sephiroth realized he must still be shaken. He moved over Ryo to the other side of the bed, not once leaving Ryo's grasp.

He wrapped his arms around Ryo's waist and neck, letting their foreheads touch, and realized he was much more at ease.

A small fire burned in the room, but it had died down quite a bit. Sephiroth felt cold, but Ryo turned up the heat around his body, obviously very cold himself. It made Ryo delectably hot.

They didn't fall asleep. They hadn't meant to fall asleep, only to rest, but a knock came to the door, before even that could really occur.

Ryo didn't want to answer the knock. He felt Sephiroth warm smile make him smile himself and he laughed away his fatigue.

They got up slowly and walked to the door. Ryo opened it and saw Chandria standing there, he had assumed it was her in the first place and knew she wouldn't have walked in.

"Yes?" He asked feeling Sephiroth come up behind him.

"Father? I mean, Lord?" She corrected. "Are you feeling better?" She bowed a little and Ryo smiled. Zoë had told her to bow whenever she met up against one of them, and she had been following her orders exactly.

'_What a good little girl.'_

"I am feeling better, thank you. Chandria, is that all you wanted to say?"

"The warrior friends of yours have returned and the new help has arrived as well. Are you ready to greet them?"

"Is Orion here?" Ryo asked anyway, though he assumed he wasn't.

Ryo walked with great strides. He pulled out his hair and fixed it so it looked appropriate and not disheveled. He put the cloth in it half way down, then twisted the rest of his hair and put a tie in the end, it stayed and suited him beautifully.

"Master, brought you both home, then he left to finish bringing back more wood. He then said, something about finding 'the one that did it' and left in a fearful rage." She answered as she ran to keep up with his pace.

Sephiroth was walking at Ryo's steady gait on the other side of him.

He put a cloak over Ryo's shoulders to match the one he wore; they were both velvet. Ryo tied the cloak while frowning at Sephiroth. They were both thinking the same thing of what Chandria had said.

'_Who is Orion searching for?' _

"What about White Blaze?" Ryo asked pulling his gloves tighter around his arms. The fingers were cut off the gloves, making him look most dangerous.

"He's outside somewhere, roaming around the palace, I presume." Chandria answered casually.

Ryo and Sephiroth both strode around the corner toward the stairs. Their cloaks flying behind them, like their hair. Sephiroth wore his down, like usual, and it shined in the light of the room.

About sixty people occupied this room, aside from the Ronins which Ryo saw immediately.

Chandria came up Ryo's flank, but didn't tug on his pant like she normally did. She was being a regular angel on this night, perfectly behaved. She wore a black dress and tiny red velvet cape. She looked adorable and almost like a princess with her beauty shining like a shield now that she was in the company of people who would undoubtedly look down upon her, for reasons other than the obvious.

Ryo moved gracefully down the stairs grabbing everyone's attention, though he already had it.

Sephiroth was defiantly cunning tonight. He acted so stuck up and proud, as if he were above everyone in that room.

Ryo's gaze swept over everyone for quiet and fell on a male youth that walked toward him.

He held out a scroll of parchment, Ryo took it, but didn't read it.

The youth was startled when he realized Ryo wanted him to speak.

"Uh, I, uh, we are from the Kingdom of Cierrah. You sent a request for help?"

Ryo raised an eyebrow and opened the parchment. His eyes skimmed through the familiar dialect and he read it faster than any human could.

"Are there any soldiers among you?" He asked while still looking at the parchment.

The youth stuttered finding an answer.

"Uh, yes, uh, no, I not think, uh, so, uh, Sir?"

'He stutters a lot for someone that is supposed to be a representative of these angels.' Sephiroth commented judgmentally.

Ryo smiled now. He looked up at them ignoring what Sephiroth had thought to him.

"Welcome, to all of you. I am Ryo. Lord of this chateau and you will address me as such." He whistled and Marcie came running up to his side.

"Lord?" She questioned smiling.

"This is Marcie. You will address her as Lady Marcie, and you will follow her orders explicitly. Those same orders come from me. Marcie will be putting you to work. Thank you for coming, if you have any questions, talk to her." Ryo walked over to his friends, Sephiroth moving with him.

Chandria on his other side now tugged on his pant.

"How long will the visitors be here?" She asked swiftly.

"They will not be here for very long." Ryo answered and turned to his friends.

"We brought back the gold from China and gave it Zoë. She told us what happened, are you alright?" Rowen asked looking Ryo over.

"I am fine. Orion is out on a hunt right now for whomever did it. Have any of you seen White Blaze?"

"No." Sye answered and shrugged.

"I thought he was still in the mountains near the mansion." Cale spoke, and leaned against the wall.

"I saw him before we got attacked, he was giving us a lift." Ryo answered, looking toward the ground worriedly.

"We'll help you look for him." Kento smiled.

Ryo felt Chandria tug at his pant again. She only came up to his thigh and barely that.

"I don't mean to be rude, but who is the man next to you, Lord? I've never seen him before."

Ryo put his hand on her head gently and smiled.

"A friend of Orion's. This is Sephiroth." Ryo answered talking to everyone around him. Sephiroth pulled Ryo closer to him.

"We should hasten our search, lest darkness destroy any easy way to search for the tiger."

Ryo nodded and turned to Chandria. "Stay here and watch over the newcomers."

Chandria smiled and stuck her chest out proudly. Now with a purpose, she walked over to Marcie and helped her out.

Ryo took the search outside and they split up scouring the entire area of the chateau.

"He must have left." Sephiroth suggest after an hour of searching. It was three hours until pitch blackness.

"I hope he turns up, but you are right, he probably just wandered off for home or food, which makes me think of food." Ryo grabbed his belly as it growled loudly.

Yuli came around the corner laughing.

"I'd know that growl anywhere." He walked up to Ryo. "I didn't find him." He whispered sadly.

Ryo smiled briefly. "'S okay." He slurred.

Orion came up behind them gasping for breath suddenly. Ryo embraced him frightened, waiting patiently for Orion to regain strength enough to speak.

"Orion." He whispered and was reassured his love was alright when Orion squeezed his shoulder.

"There are some kind of cloaked figures in the wood. They dare not follow me on this sacred ground, but they are there." He frowned deeply as he caught his second wind.

"What should we do?" Ryo questioned already knowing his answer.

"We must leave here. Only for now, but we must leave."

"What?!" Yuli cried his mouth hanging open.

"Not you Ronins, nor the servants. Merely, Ryo, Zoë, Sephiroth, and I."

Yuli didn't seem to like this answer any more than the previous.

"When?" Ryo asked solemnly accepting it.

"Today! Now, if at all possible. Gather your things and warm clothes. I will find Zoë and notify Marcie. Go my love. Quickly."

Ryo steadied their leader and wrapped his arms around Sephiroth who willingly was flown up to Orion's chamber.

Orion ran off to the ballroom at his great speed while Yuli gathered the other Ronins and was right behind him.

Everyone was in an uproar when they entered. Orion calmed them all with a piercing scream for quiet that towered over their groans.

"Marcie!" He yelled and was greeted by her, with a smile.

"Yes, Master!" She curtsied as the new servants behind her bowed.

"Ah, the help has arrived." He sighed, pleased. "Too late I fear."

Marcie looked up to him very worriedly.

"Master, what has befallen you?"

"There is no time to go into great detail, but I must ask that no one should leave the chateau for any reason at all. Stay on this mountain, even you new ones." Orion gestured to the quite worried helpers.

"I will make sure no one leaves, but..."

"There are hunters in the forest, dressed in cloaks and I am absolutely sure they are after Ryo and myself, but for what reason I do not know. They won't come onto the chateau so you are all safe in that, but I will not endanger your lives again. Ryo, Sephiroth, Zoë and I will be leaving for the earth and its cities."

Several people around looked disgusted at the idea of Orion having to hide in a _**city**._ The angels despised cities. They were so unclean and filthy and overrun with mortals and other foulness.

"Where is Zoë?"

Marcie looked around quickly.

"Right here!" Zoë shouted and came up Orion's flank out of breath. "Orion... in the forest... monsters..."

"I know." Orion sighed and held her as she leaned onto him.

"What will we do?"

"We will leave the chateau. Only we three and Sephiroth."

"For how long?"

"How ever long it should take to find out what is going on with these monsters and destroy them if need be." Orion squeezed her hand.

"What about the chateau? Even if they do not come up here, will it not still be unprotected from everything else?" They heard whispers and mumbles of depressed and worried angels.

Orion turned to Cale who had assumed leadership of the Ronins in a way. Ryo was still the leader, but Cale guided them in this time now while he wasn't around. They would never properly declare it like they did with Ryo, but it was still the same.

"I ask a favor now which I have never requested of you all before."

Cale stood up straight and walked up to Orion.

"Will you stay here? Will all of you Ronins stay here and protect the chateau from all harm?"

Cale nodded without even a glance behind him to the other Ronins. They all had a mutual feeling of protection over everything that meant peace, and angels meant peace to them.

In Cale's eyes, angels represented the highest standard of peace and seemed almost frail, though Ryo and Orion definitely not weak in the least. He wanted to protect them and he knew the others would do it too.

"Let me come with you, Orion." Yuli interrupted dashing forward to Orion's side.

"I would not put such a young life in so much peril." Orion sighed releasing Zoë.

"I'm not as young as you treat me. I'm only four years younger than Ryo is and you treat him with such high regard."

"I treat him with the respect that he has earned over the years. I have lived and loved with him; I know his strengths and weaknesses down to a fault. I can and do trust him with my life and the lives of others. I have no doubt in his abilities."

"Why can't I come?" He stamped his foot like a child would and Orion merely shook his head in distaste. When Yuli was about to speak again he was stopped.

"Stay here, Yuli. I swear on my honor that I will be back." Ryo announced.

Yuli turned to Ryo and put his hands over Ryo's.

"Why can't I go though? Please Ryo. I'll be good, I promise." Yuli suddenly held Ryo tightly in his arms.

The angel warrior, was wearing a rather normal outfit now. Black gothic pants –slightly baggy- with sneakers, and a very constricting black shirt tucked in. The shirt was short sleeved so he wore his fighting gloves with no fingers on them and a silver necklace of a cross.

He smelled divine and it was driving Orion insane even from his distance away from his lover.

"Yuli, I can not let you come." Ryo pushed him gently away.

Sephiroth appeared behind Ryo. He lifted his hand and brushed hairs out of Ryo's face. Ryo smiled.

"We should get going."

Orion glanced at Sephiroth's ensemble. He was dressed in Ryo's old jeans –which had remained tucked away for a few years- boots, and a jean jacket that was longer than his thighs.

Everyone gaped at his hair as he had cut it from his thighs to his neck and it was layered.

"What'd you do to your hair?" Zoë asked almost heartbroken.

"Do not worry, Madam, it will grow back within a week." Sephiroth smiled. "I do not suppose that hair that is _that_ long is normal to mortals now." He looked at Ryo and Orion.

"I am not touching _'my'_ hair for any such reason. Let them ponder what they want. My hair stays as it is now." Ryo insisted pulling a bag on his shoulder farther, Sephiroth also had a side bag hanging at his thigh.

"We should get moving." Orion whispered with a slight smile at Ryo's comment, and Ryo turned to say good-bye.

He hugged each of his friends, but when he reached Yuli, he only kissed his forehead. Yuli didn't react.

Ryo tried to smile and turned away as he saw Yuli frowning hatefully.

The four of them left without another word and the entire room was silent until Marcie started giving orders again and making sure things were done, preparations made, food ordered.

Rowen smacked Yuli upside the head angrily.

"Ow!" Yuli cried out, turning around to see Rowen scowling at him. "What was that for?" He snapped. Rowen grabbed him by his shirt and pulled their faces so close they were only inches apart.

"You idiot!" He growled. "He's showing you an incredible amount of patience and you're just being a dickhead! You're acting like a child. Why? Don't be stubborn and snotty because he doesn't want you to come with him when there's the chance of you getting hurt badly by something that had outwitted _him_. Be smart!"

Yuli was shocked at first, but now smiled and closed the gap between his face and Rowen's angry one.

They kissed and Rowen released him.

"Thank you." Yuli ran outside.

Cale put his hand on Rowen's and squeezed and they both watched Yuli run.

-----

Yuli called to Ryo as he saw them walking to the edge of the mountain.

Ryo stopped and walked up to his friend. They met each other and Yuli kissed Ryo passionately. Ryo stepped back quickly away from him. He started to cry and Ryo gasped in wonder and surprise.

"What's wrong?" Ryo demanded sharply.

"I'm sorry, I was being a snot. I'd really like to come, but I know you don't want me to, so could we possibly take a trip together after this. A journey somewhere far off, with Orion and Zoë or you know, something fun." He stuttered.

Ryo chuckled softly. "I _suppose_."

Yuli released Ryo confident and happy.

Ryo turned and kept walking with his friends.

He started to run, just to get rid of some built up energy and Sephiroth kept pace with him competitively, but Orion and Zoë took up the rear flying slower.

------

About two hours later in the day they had finally reached a big city and Orion was convinced they had come unnoticed. Ryo stayed close to Orion as was the angel's request and Sephiroth and Zoë took up the lead. They were all dressed fairly normal now and forced their wings back into their bodies.

Sephiroth, who of course hadn't been out and about in hundreds of years, was astonished by all of the discoveries mortals had made. He was fascinated by the smallest things as was Zoë and even Orion, though he wouldn't show it.

They had finally come to a stop before something that baffled most of the group, but caused Ryo to laugh as they checked it over.

Ryo kept in his laughs when Sephiroth hesitantly, lifted his foot into the air and touched the black rocks molded together, making a path on the dirt. He tried not to seem arrogant when a low growling could be heard far off in the distance around the bend and Sephiroth was startled. But when a yellow machine came hurtling around the corner and stopped in front of them, making the half-cat jump back in fear and shout: "Monster!" he broke down laughing and climbed in, trying to urge Sephiroth to do the same.

"It's going to eat you!" The half-cat cried out frightened.

"It is called a taxi." Ryo explained kissing his cheek and pulling him inside. Orion stepped inside as well and Zoë sat in the front. Orion and Zoë had at least been inside a vehicle sometime in their lives, so they weren't frightened by it, but poor Sephiroth had nearly been hysterical.

"Where to?" The man in front asked and Sephiroth nearly jumped out of his skin.

"It speaks!"

Ryo quickly covered his mouth snickering and doubled over laughing.

"Some large hotel in the middle of the city. Don't care which." Ryo smiled as the man drove off without a word. Ryo slurred his lingo slightly so he wouldn't seem too peculiar to this guy.

'_He must see a lot of delusional fruits in his days.'_ Ryo surmised.

Ryo went back to talking to Sephiroth telepathically which they had done most of the way there. He spoke of airplanes and motor boats, electric trains and computers, space ships and satellites, motor cycles and cars. Sephiroth was entranced, but he took Ryo's warning very seriously:

"If you ever see anything that is odd or may seem scary just get my attention calmly and I will explain it to you, but most of everything in the city is harmless."

He went on to explain more about elevators and television sets, DVD's and radios, video games and theatres, CD players and trucks, helicopters and curling irons, lamps and telephones, clocks and most importantly electricity, which powered all of these things so that they could work. The journey into the city, and absorbing everything that Ryo had to say made Sephiroth quite tired, so he slumped over and fell asleep on Ryo's shoulder. When they finally reached the hotel Ryo gave the driver a gold coin which well exceeded the amount he owed and got out.

"Uh, sir!" The guy stuttered. "Would you like me to take you anywhere else? We have limousine services as well if you need anything else. Here! Here's my card." The driver handed Ryo a blue card saying his name, address and numbers. "You need anything at all, I'm your man, no questions asked." He stated enthusiastically.

Ryo pocketed the card and smiled turning away. He carried Sephiroth from the car into the hotel and Zoë got them a room.

When the lady asked if they would be paying now or later, cash or credit, Zoë dropped twelve large gold coins on her desk. The woman gaped at the little fortune and made sure that someone brought up their bags immediately. They were given a pent house room that took up an entire floor with windows everywhere.

Orion tipped the door man enough for an early retirement and he went off happily, ready to serve them at all hours of the morning if need be.

Zoë explored the living room, dining area, two large bedrooms, and the kitchen while Ryo set Sephiroth on the couch so he could rest. He turned around to see Orion leering over him. He was smirking with excitement.

Ryo didn't like the twinkle in his eyes, it spelled: **mischief**.

Zoë walked out of the kitchen, about to say something, but Ryo and Orion were gone. She dropped her hands to her sides when she realized the window was open and the curtains blew from the wall almost straight at times from the rough wind.

She sighed heavily and massaged her temples.

"Not again." She sighed. Every time they went into a city –which had been quite some time ago- Orion would do his little disappearing act, only this time he had taken Ryo with him. "We are trying to find and stop Hunters that chase us, probably ready to kill, and he is out gallivanting over the city."

Zoë gave up turning to the bedroom.

"He is preposterous!" She growled and flopped onto the bed.

-----

Orion leapt off the side of a twelve story building landing rather ungracefully, but steadily on the roof fifteen yards from there.

Ryo was close behind him, only landing with much more ease. He caught up to Orion in mid-air and trapped him in his arms.

They hit the roof hard and rolled over a few times, before finally stopping near the edge.

"That was close." Orion sighed seeing Ryo's body merely inches from the ledge.

"I've caught you already." Ryo announced a little out of breath. "Now lets go back. I have had enough of this little escapade." He stood unsteadily and Orion gently pushed him backward. Ryo fell off the roof with a loud growl of annoyance.

He called his wings and flew back up, now flying mere feet from Orion, slightly peeved.

"What did you do that for?" Ryo sighed exasperated.

"To see what you would do." Orion answered as Ryo scowled.

Ryo pulled his wings toward him and now unsupported in the air, he began to free-fall head first.

He kept his eyes closed crossing his arms, as the wind whistled by until Orion's arms wrapped around him. He had jumped after Ryo, so now they were hurdling head first toward the ground together.

'Why'd you do that?' Orion asked telepathically.

'To see what you would do.' Ryo answered and smirked knowingly as the ground got closer and closer.

Ryo had crossed his arms the whole time, but now he embraced Orion and pulled out of the death drop. He quickly flew them away from prying eyes at such a speed it would seem that he disappeared with Orion.

He landed in their window gently and put Orion on the couch opposite Sephiroth, as he had also fallen asleep. Orion hadn't slept much lately, and after exerting all that strength he had suddenly tired and fallen asleep on Ryo's chest, in his secure arms.

Ryo himself felt quite weary, but he had to accomplish the chores neglected by the others. They would probably have to get some normal money instead of using gold, it was much lighter anyway.

He jumped out the window again, this time with his bag and flew over to the bank, landing in a twisty alley across the street and changing back easily and quickly. After he had almost gotten out of the alley four men and one woman surrounded him with guns and chains.

"You picked the wrong time to take a stroll, Cinderella." One of them cackled. He had a nose ring, an ear stud, and was balding.

"Give us _all_ ya money!" Another demanded. She had piercings up her ear and long thick black hair.

Ryo looked around to the other three and sighed. He didn't want to kill them so he would have to be a bit more careful than usual.

Before he could even move into a fighting stance two dark figures attacked the bald guy and his girl who shrieked –a most horrible sound- with cusses and swears attached. The rest of them ran once they saw their leader down for the count with one punch and the girl was running with them once her hair had been cut half off with her own knife.

These dark figures walked closer to Ryo and into the shadows so he could see their faces. They were taller than him and blonde. They were twins actually with gorgeous blue eyes that stuck out more than anything.

"You all right, Angel?" One of them asked, he sounded sick, as if he had a cold from the breezy weather. He was definitely from Australia though. They both had beautiful dark skin and a small accent that was appreciable.

"You aren't wearing a coat; you cold?" The other asked, but he didn't sound sick, only gentle. Ryo realized he himself, wasn't even wearing a coat, then he realized it was snowing. He _was_ cold, but he didn't want to admit it just yet.

"Silent type." The other whispered.

"Where were you headed?" The gentle one asked.

Ryo cocked his thumb toward the building across the street from them, meaning the bank. They both nodded simultaneously.

"We'll take you there and walk you home if you like. We'll make sure nothing happens to you." The sick one stated. You could see his breath, it was so cold. Why hadn't Ryo noticed before? Too busy with his own thoughts probably...

Ryo nodded, knowing full well he could take them if they tried anything funny. They walked closer to him and the gentle one took his arm.

"I'm Lei." He whispered close to Ryo's ear. They both wore long leather coats, with fur linings.

"I'm sick, but you can call me Nicki." He coughed. Ryo smiled briefly leaning closer to the gentle one, Lei. He was very warm in his jacket.

"You don't have to tell us your name. We'll just call you, Angel." Lei whispered. They both guided Ryo safely across the busy street. Finally they reached and entered the large building of stone. It was temperate inside, but Lei and Nicki waited near the door.

'_They are very polite.'_ Ryo noticed as the cashier gladly turned the many coins of gold into hundreds of bills. Ryo put them in the side bag he wore and walked back over to his new friends.

"Where do you live?" Lei asked kindly, trying not to seem perverted. Ryo pulled a card from his back pocket which he had picked up from the desk table at the hotel, it said the address and phone number in bright red letters.

Nicki nodded and they walked out the door.

The twins tried in vane to call a taxi as they walked, but it was futile. Ryo saw their feeling of disappointment and held up his beautifully smooth hand as a taxi cab came near and the driver stopped immediately with a screech of his breaks.

The twins gaped as Ryo climbed into the cab between them.

"You are truly amazing." Nicki whispered in his ear.

The cab driver turned to them.

"Ah! Young master! I saw you and stopped immediately! Are you headed back to the hotel with your new friends?"

Ryo nodded and the driver smiled, turning back to the wheel and he started off again, not dilly-dallying at all.

Ryo was quite tired by the time they reached the hotel. He gave three hundred dollar bills to the driver yawning and found out his name was Jon.

After stumbling once, Ryo was lifted into the air on Lei's back and carried to the elevator.

Ryo poked the button to the top floor while still on Lei's back.

Lei and Nicki exchanged an odd glare when they realized this was the pent house sweet. The rugs were red everywhere, the floors that were tiled, were marble, Italian marble to be exact. Paintings were hung all over the halls on the walls from the elevator to the sweet's door.

Nicki was about to knock on the doors when they flew open. Another beautiful blonde young man stood there, Sephiroth, and though he was considerably smaller than the twins, he took Ryo from Lei with great ease.

"Come in please!" Ryo yawned as the twins entered gaping at the beautiful rooms.

Sephiroth sat with Ryo on the now empty couches and Zoë ran to the kitchen to make some tea.

Orion walked over, keeping his eyes on the twins, probing their thoughts, though they didn't know it.

'Orion!' Ryo growled as a warning to be nice and he snapped his attention to his love. 'This is Lei and Nicki, they saved me from a bunch of thieves.'

Orion looked them over again and smiled.

"I am Orion." He spoke.

"I'm Lei and this is Nicki." The gentle youth punched his brother's shoulder playfully.

"Thank you for helping Ryo and bringing him to us. I insist you stay a while." Orion's glare was undeniably deadly sometimes and the twins seemed a little frightened by the look. They nodded, agreeing to stay and Zoë brought out the hot tea for them to drink.

"Are you French?" Nicki asked after coughing. Orion nodded.

"I can tell." Lei smiled. "You have a light accent."

This shocked Orion. He had always been able to pick out other peoples' accents quite easily, but it almost scared him to realize he had one of his own, almost...

"Well, thank you, I think." Orion turned to their friends. "This is Zoë and Sephiroth," Orion gestured to them each, "and you have already met Ryo. We've come from France to vacation here." The twins were buying the story well enough and Orion's expression was rock hard. He could keep the straightest faces even if he were lying, or telling an extremely funny joke, though that was rare.

The day was getting late and the sun was setting before the twins realized it. They had all been talking the entire time.

Ryo fell asleep on Sephiroth's lap and soon after Lei had also fallen asleep on Nicki's shoulder.

"We should be leaving." Nicki sighed looking down on Lei.

"How rude of me not to offer already, especially after what you did for Ryo. Please, stay here the night. There is plenty of room."

Nicki couldn't refuse Orion's offer. Lei would be impossible to move now.

"Yes, thank you."

"I will get you some blankets and pillows." Zoë jumped up and ran to the closets.

Orion leaned over to Sephiroth.

"Do you wish to sleep on the couch with him? He is awfully grouchy if he's awoken in the middle of a deep slumber." Sephiroth smirked and kicked off his shoes easily without moving too much.

He moved slowly until he was lying down with Ryo. Zoë put a pillow under his head and threw a few blankets over them.

She then gave a pillow to Nicki and threw some blankets over them both as well.

Zoë took the dishes from the room service out and put them in the hall, and after taking care of the tea tray she headed after Orion to bed.

"Night." She whispered shutting off the lights.

She left the room and everything was silent.

"Sephiroth?" Nicki whispered waiting for a reply and getting none. "Sephiroth, can you speak?"

"Shh!" Sephiroth hissed.

"Play nice." Ryo commanded, patted Sephiroth's arm gently. Nicki of course couldn't see them in the pitch black room, but he understood.

"The Angel speaks." Nicki sighed smiling. "Speak again fair Angel." He taunted using a bit of Romeo's line from Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet._

"The Saint prays." Ryo taunted back, smirking. "Pray again and hear me speak, Saint. Pray tell what plagues thee?"

"I can smell that smirk on your face, Angel." Nicki laughed softly.

"Pray tell what plagues thee?" Ryo repeated. "An illness of what sort?"

Nicki pondered his words carefully. This was a fun game.

"An influenza of sorts, but not a short one. A plague that lasts from the new moon to the waning crescent and makes greater taunts than you, fair Angel. I fear I will go mad. Heal my wounded and undeserving self." Nicki smiled, he enjoyed the little laugh, but Ryo was next to him in an instant, his wings bared and lighting up the room with the help of the waxing moon outside the window.

Nicki's breath was caught in his throat. He couldn't breathe and didn't even know if his blood was even pushing through his veins any longer. It seemed as if time had stopped, though the angel was still moving.

The angel that stood before him was gorgeous. It knelt down in front of Nicki blankly.

Nicki's eyes shot open wider and he remembered to breathe. He turned away from the angel coughing. Nicki couldn't stop coughing at first, but he stopped all of a sudden and turned to see the angel mere inches from him. Its fingertips were on the base of his neck. His shirt was open where the rest of the angels hand lay. The coughing subsided and his throat felt better.

"You actually healed me. You _are_ an angel!" Nicki gasped. The angel leaned forward, smiling slightly and their mouths met. Nicki felt the strongest force enter his body and move down his throat sending a wonderful sensation through his chest and heart. His lungs were whole and expanding with the breath the angel was giving him from his own lungs.

Nicki felt sleep pulling him under and his head leaned back against the pillow. He felt like he was floating on clouds and almost immediately he was pulled out of it.

A/N: The healing gift angels have can **not **heal illnesses. Ryo breathed for Nicki. His purified breath caused Nicki's beaten lungs to heal from the new air. The illness is still there, but his lungs are better now.

A/N: Please review me. I'd love any response I get. Thanx.


	7. Cures and Ailments

A/N: Sorry about the delay in this one. I'm a pretty lazy person. Curse me. Hex me. Do whatever, but I figured since it was Halloween, I could at least be nice enough to post a new chapter of each of my stories, so... here you go. Thanks to the best reviewers in the world who reviewed me. Enjoy.

Silverwyvern: All your prayers will be answered hun. The boys will go away for a while, but they'll be back. They have their own little role to play in this. Oh, and yes, I am a bit tepid about this part of the story because I made the Hunters such evil people.

Zorra: Eh? Er... um, no Orion isn't a bad guy. He can have a bit of a temper, but he's not evil or anything. Oh, and about the whole Seiji/ Ryo thing, Seiji is the one that broke it off with Ryo in the first place, if you'll recall. I hope you like the story. It was just kind of one of those ideas that escalated into gigantic proportions.

Chapter 6

He opened his eyes and saw the sun shining brightly on him.

"How can it be light out? I just fell asleep a second ago!" He moaned, covering his face.

"Uh... _no_!" Lei's brow was raised in wonder as he corrected his twin. He ruffled up Nicki's hair. "It's almost noon dude." Lei stood next to Nicki, and threw the blanket over Nicki's head. "Maybe we should take a vacation."

Nicki heard a gentle laugh that was all too familiar. He yanked the blanket off his head and saw Ryo leaning on the couch across from him, smiling.

"Maybe you _should_ take a vacation. That cough of yours will not get any better in a cold place like this. Egypt maybe... or Florida... those are both very nice and hot places for vacation." Ryo's laugh sounded like the soft purring of a cat.

Nicki jumped up, dropping the blanket, and took Ryo's hands, startling him.

"You cured me."

"What are you talking about?" Ryo asked raising his brow. Nicki realized he didn't know what he was babbling about.

"Um..." Nicki let Ryo's hands go and grabbed his own shoes.

Orion, who stood in the doorway to the bedroom leaning, his ankles crossed, seeming amused rather than angry.

'_Now,_ you're just confusing the poor lad.' He joked.

'It's better for him to think it was a dream rather than thinking it was real. The human world has yet to be ready to know about us.'

Orion nodded and laughed as Nicki walked over to Lei disheveled. They got ready to leave.

"Thank you for having us." Lei bowed.

Orion and Ryo swallowed their pride and bowed deeper than was proper for them. Nicki waited until they were done and bowed deeper than Ryo.

"I hope we see you again, soon." Zoë laughed.

"We're looking forward to it." Lei waved as they got into the elevator.

After the doors were closed and the elevator started to move, Orion wrapped an arm around Ryo's shoulders.

"Be a bit more careful." He laughed and tugged them all back into the room.

"We should go out and try to find out about whatever's following us." Zoë announced. Orion nodded.

"I propose that Zoë comes with me to go around to nearby covens and find out about these Hunters." Orion sighed.

"Why don't I come with you?" Ryo asked.

"I want you two to take a trip up to see Franz."

Ryo scowled.

'Zoë and Sephiroth are not as strong as we are.' Orion pleaded. 'If we went together, then we would be leaving them vulnerable. Dividing our power with each of them would probably be best, in case one of us were to be attacked.'

'All right.' He breathed and nodded.

"Let's go." Ryo snapped turning to Sephiroth quickly and pushing him toward the door. Ryo grabbed his side bag of money and they were gone.

Orion looked to the floor saddened. He hated knowing that he made Ryo so depressed and felt like calling Ryo back and changing his mind, but he knew this was the best way. Both he and Zoë jumped in shock when Ryo came running back in and kissed Orion furiously. Orion was caught off guard. Ryo pulled his head back, then kissed Orion's forehead, smiling faintly.

Orion smiled as well and kissed Ryo's forehead. He felt as if a weight had been lifted. Like his shoulder blades had just shifted and the greatest gift was bestowed upon him in Ryo's warm and loving smile.

"Good luck, my love." He whispered. Ryo nodded and quickly kissed Zoë's forehead before leaving with a joyful shout and a wave. Zoë waved, smiling and laughing.

_Ryo acts like such a kid sometimes._ She mused.

"I guess we better get going as well." She went to get their bag and they flew out the window in cloaks, quickly to the roof.

From there they flew into the sun's rays, in the East.

Ryo and Sephiroth went running through the streets, jumping over buildings and laughing, all the while heading toward Franz's, father's home. After they were out of the city, they stopped, and Sephiroth gave his clothes to Ryo. He changed back into Goldeye and carried Ryo through the great forest they faced.

They still managed to have fun. Goldeye jumped off of a huge cliff while running, on purpose and scared Ryo half to death. It was like going over a roller coaster. He hugged Goldeye with his knees, tightly and managed to hold on for dear life.

A boulder protruded from the cliff's face. Goldeye landed momentarily on that then jumped for the trees, some ten storeys down. The cliff must have had a one hundred foot drop, Ryo realized and sighed in relief, that he hadn't fallen off of Goldeye. That cliff had not left him much time to grow his wings if it were necessary and it would have been a painful drop, had he fallen off.

The large cat chuckled and Ryo frowned.

"That is far from funny." He insisted.

'It seemed funny to me.' He snickered some more. 'If you thought that was bad, you better hold on really tight, this time.'

Ryo gasped. "_This time!_ What do you mean, _this time_?!"

They burst out of a collection of trees and right over the face of a cliff. Ryo grabbed Goldeye's fur.

"No! Please!" They stopped right on the very ledge of the cliff.

'Ryo?' Goldeye whispered worriedly.

"No! No more cliffs!" He begged.

'All right.' He agreed calmly, feeling horrible for frightening his friend so much.

They heard a crack as they stood mere feet from the edge.

"What was that?" Ryo asked as the edge of the cliff gave way and the rock from where they stood shattered off the side of the mountain.

This cliff was twice as big as the last with only trees to catch their fall. Not even Goldeye could come out of a fall like this unscathed.

Ryo called his wings as he plummeted head first toward the ground. They shot out of his back and Ryo looked over to Goldeye. His eyes closed, he was twirling helplessly.

'Change back!' Ryo screamed and Goldeye obeyed immediately. His human, narrow form went plunging to the ground. Ryo angled his body and caught Sephiroth in his arms. Ryo tried to pull up, but couldn't. He slowed their speed as best he could and hit the hill in their decent. He closed his wings around Sephiroth and himself, holding his arms around Sephiroth's head as if protecting a child. They tumbled down more and more through the trees and hit the ground. They rolled, and slowed down, more and more until they stopped at the base of a small incline.

Sephiroth opened his eyes and saw Ryo's chest. He looked up and found Ryo unconsciously still holding him tightly. Quickly he sat up and shook Ryo, quite afraid.

"Open your eyes angel, please!" He begged. His eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Are you alright?" He rasped. Sephiroth laughed.

"You saved me. I'm fine." He leaned closer and kissed Ryo briefly. "Don't scare me like that." He ordered. Ryo smiled, then saw a cut on Sephiroth's hip.

"You _are_ hurt."

"Ai! Ai! A scratch, a scratch." Sephiroth mumbled dismissing the worry for himself. "What about you?" Sephiroth referred to Ryo's bloody wings, scratches covering them and his leg had a gash over its length.

"I can still fly." He answered looking at his wings and flexing them, while sitting up.

Sephiroth stood and helped Ryo up.

"I'll carry you there." Sephiroth replied.

"No, Franz is not too far from here. Dress yourself and I will fly us there."

"Franz has already seen me transform though." Sephiroth leaned Ryo onto a nearby sapling tree.

"We don't want the entire castle seeing you though. Just do as I say. It is for the better."

"Can you still carry me, _and_ yourself?" Sephiroth argued, angry at himself for allowing this in his foolishness.

"We shall see." Ryo answered handing Sephiroth the bag. "Dress."

Sephiroth took the bag and put his clothes on while Ryo admired the youthful tree he leaned on. Its leaves and branches still as strong and young as when it was in its first years. He felt a peace pass over him by touching the small tree. It seemed to lea back, accepting Ryo and making him more comfortable. The wind kissed Ryo's face as if to make the bruises feel better. Ryo's laughed softly, his face serene suddenly.

After the half-cat was finished, Ryo picked Sephiroth up into his arms and flew up through the trees and over many miles until they finally reached the castle from which Ryo had been trapped before. It looked much better, now that he looked on the outside.

They landed in the front of the castle and were immediately greeted by Franz who was waving quite enthusiastically. Many servants were behind him, but didn't say anything about their appearance. Not even a murmur of worry passed through them. It was an eerie silence.

"What happened?" Franz questioned after bowing.

"We ran into a little obstacle." Ryo answered, placing Sephiroth next to him. Franz's gaze was only on him for a moment, then he was looking at Ryo.

"Please, come in. My home is your home." They entered and Franz brought them to the Great Hall.

Ryo sat in a comfortable arm chair as Franz offered it to them. Sephiroth took the arm chair adjacent to Ryo's.

Franz stood in front of them, then sat on a long couch so he could watch them both.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Franz asked looking at Ryo. Ryo nodded, a solemn expression passing over his face.

"Master Orion!" A shorter vampire greeted them, gesturing for them to come inside hastily. He smiled leading them forward into the lair of twenty other vampires.

All of them sat in the first room they walked into. They lounged on couches, futons, beds, blankets, clothes, anything and everything that was around the room, but there was one small path with nothing on it for others to walk through. Each vampire stopped whatever it was they were doing to look onto Orion and Zoë.

Many of them had merely been resting, but having an angel enter their house was cause for worry.

Orion knew most vampires and other creatures. The ones that had attacked the chateau were much stronger than these and they had been outcasts.

These vampires were quite a bit more polite and smarter as well. All of them knew better than to attack an angel.

The short vampire from the door beckoned Orion to follow him to the only other door to get out of this room other than the way they came in. Orion grabbed Zoë's arm gently and slow as to not alarm anyone.

He wanted her to stay there and she nodded. They had banished their wings before even knocking on the door, but all the vampires still stared at Zoë as if she had them.

She glared around the room, keeping one hand on the strap of the bag that dangled from her shoulder.

Zoë watched Orion go and waited, perfectly content with the silence. She stood next to a couch which sat in the middle of the room with its back to her. The door was five feet behind the couch's back. The door Orion had taken was in front of the couch a good distance away.

A futon was to the right of the couch with little nests of blankets taking up all the other space of the room except for the walkway.

A vampire turned fully around on the couch to speak to Zoë. He tried to get up the nerve, then stood on the couch facing her and leaned over to shake her hand.

"I'm Lance!" He bellowed. His voice was silky and calm, as if they were two normal mortals, which they weren't.

"Zoë." She replied shaking his hand at first, then he pulled it toward him trying to kiss it. She calmly watched him, then glared around the room at all the shocked vampires.

He released her hand and she sighed heavily and quite annoyed.

"Do you not like music?" Zoë asked looking around for a CD player or a radio or something.

"What kind of music do you like?" Lance wondered shaking his shaggy brown head.

"Pop, rock, country, classical, but heavy metal is definitely out and rap, well... there are only like three good rap songs." He nodded, accepting the answer.

Zoë looked around the room more.

"No TV either?" She sighed.

"Why? Do you have those things up in the sky where you live?" Lance questioned boldly.

"Heavens, no!" She shook her head shaking her blonde curls. "I do not live in the sky either. We occupy ourselves with much more important things than music and MTV."

"How do you know about it then? Do you visit mortals that often?"

"No, not really. Our hearing is superior to many other species. Sometimes when everything is settled down at home, you can sit in a window, close your eyes and just hear everything. We can hear concerts from anywhere if we so chose too. I pick up radio frequencies while working. As for the TV thing, I merely _assumed_ you had one. Most vampires do. They can not occupy themselves, this new age. They have so many abilities at their fingertips, but they confess lies of being bored."

Lance looked around the room at his fellow vampires. Zoë read his features. These were most of the vampires of the house. Elder vampires were smart enough to be occupied now. With younger ones, it was hard to find pleasure with their powers after a few decades and they became bored.

She shook her head and called to Orion. He didn't shush her and walked out of that door a minute later.

"Let us go." He whispered to her, glaring at the vampire standing on the couch. He extended his arm to Orion when he stopped next to the couch.

Orion glared at him as if he would bite off the arm if it wasn't retracted. The vampire spun and sat down immediately. Orion and Zoë left without another word.

This was the seventh coven they had visited. The first two had been of angels, but now they visited vampires after only failures with their comrades.

"Anything helpful?" Zoë questioned after they were a good distance away from the coven house.

"Yes, but nothing good. We should talk only after we find Ryo and Sephiroth."

"Alright." Zoë agreed and they ran toward the forest heading up toward Franz's place, but they had twenty miles of high grass fields to run, until they met the forest.

They reached the castle that had caused so much pain to Zoë and Ryo, and Zoë stopped and landed swiftly and abruptly.

"What troubles you?" Orion asked sweetly from behind her.

"I am taking a moment to fume over what happened here." Zoë took in a breath and let it out. "Okay! Moment over." She started to walk toward the castle's front garden –which consisted of mostly grass, a few wild flowers and tall oaks- and Orion followed her.

A servant that had been walking across the entrance out of the castle stopped, very excited to see them.

She led them into the Great Hall where Sephiroth, Ryo, and Franz still sat.

The servant left them quickly to go about her duties and Franz rose to greet Orion.

The atmosphere of the room was not the friendliest, but Franz was very cheerful and oblivious. He did not seem to have the ability to notice.

Sephiroth sat on the left arm of Ryo's chair, very tense and angered. His rage was fixed on Franz though his thoughts were sealed from all. Ryo's expression seemed bothered and troubled, but he remained composed and calm, slack almost.

Franz invited Orion and Zoë to sit. They each chose an arm chair on either side of Ryo, both facing Franz. A fire burned near all the chairs keeping the airy castle room warm. Franz started to speak about his father and things that he was managing, but no one paid much attention. They all heard what he was saying, but they all kept a second eye on Sephiroth.

Ryo was the only one who didn't look at him. His left hand rested on Sephiroth's thigh, as if to hold him in check. He looked straight ahead to Franz, until he realized Zoë was staring at him, then he turned and smiled politely to her, then Franz again.

Sephiroth and Ryo looked very beat and tired, for a trip that should have caused them no more trouble than hunting a mouse.

"Was what I said to you earlier useful?" Franz asked looking directly at Ryo, then Zoë and Orion snapped to attention, trying to understand what was going on.

Ryo proceeded as if he had been in the conversation all along, though he had seemed very disconnected.

"Yes, thank you, Franz. If I might ask that you let us stay the night. It is far too late to be taking such a long journey back to our home and Sephiroth and I are dreadfully tired."

"Of course! I imagined that you might ask that very thing and I had rooms prepared for you all if you wished to stay." Franz snapped his fingers and the same girl from before came running in and handed him some things to sign with a pen.

He signed them quickly and handed her the papers.

"Take these gentlemen and lady to the Lion Wing and make them comfortable."

She nodded quickly and gestured for the group to follow her.

Sephiroth rose after Ryo and followed him close behind. Ryo kept Sephiroth's hand in his tightly as they passed Franz and left the Great Hall.

Zoë and Orion came up behind them calmly and again stayed on either side of them.

"Why are you so tense?" Zoë whispered into Sephiroth's ear.

"Later." Ryo answered. "Miss!" Ryo called, and the lady turned around quickly and bowed in front of him.

"Yes?"

"We will need some extra blankets. Could you get them? We already know how to get to the Wing, please just get the blankets." She nodded and ran off to oblige.

Ryo led them up many flights of stairs quickly, never letting Sephiroth's hand out of his.

After they entered a large room, much like Orion's, Ryo released Sephiroth and laid on the bed tiredly.

"What was all that about?" Orion questioned.

"That bastard pisses me off!" Sephiroth growled and scratched the door with his nails so it left claw marks, almost breaking the wood.

"Calm down." Ryo groaned from the bed and Sephiroth immediately went to him and laid next to him as if a watch dog.

"What did he do?" Zoë queried.

"It is not what he did, it is what he said." Ryo answered.

"Well?"

"When I had been captured Franz came down with water, do you remember that Orion?" Ryo began, his eyes closed.

"Yes." Orion nodded.

"Well, somehow he knew that Goldeye could transform into Sephiroth and he told him to do it or he would withhold the water. He did and Franz gave him the water. Anyway, just a while ago he started talking about it again and it was just some of the things he said, Sephiroth did not appreciate." Ryo sighed. "I only tried to control his urge while we were in front of Franz."

"We should have killed him with the vampires." Sephiroth insisted. Ryo reached over blindly and pet his hair, which was half the length of what it normally was. His gorgeous blonde locks were coming back just as fast and twice as shiny.

"What kind of things did he say?" She pushed, impatiently.

"Details I would rather not repeat." Ryo whispered. "Let us just sleep now. I am so tired."

It sounded like a plea so they all sat on the extremely extra large bed and laid down for rest.

"The air is freezing in here." Zoë complained.

"Who wants to start a fire?" Sephiroth questioned aloud. Ryo raised his hand, sticking it up straight. Lightning bolts momentarily collected around his hand then with one swish they were gone. A fire immediately erupted in the fireplace, pushing warmth throughout the room and its occupants.

A knock suddenly came to the door.

"I have the blankets." That servant's sweet voice called through the door. Zoë jumped up and got the blankets from the lady, shutting the door behind her. With warmth now at hand they all settled in for some sleep.

Orion encircled Ryo's chest in his arms tightly and pulled a blanket over both of them. Sephiroth stayed close to Ryo and Zoë close to him as well.

Ryo was very tense and saddened about something and Orion could feel it. He tried to massage Ryo's worries away, but it just wasn't happening. Finally, he just moved himself into Ryo's plain of existence in his mind.

"What troubles you so greatly?" He asked, mere feet from Ryo.

This form of Ryo looked very weary and beaten as well. His wings a darker shade of gray, where the gashes had been. The surface of his body was flawless and untouched, though; it was only a difference in color.

"Franz was talking about a hunt he had gone on. Did you not hear him?" Ryo's blank face registered no emotion.

"I did not pay attention." Orion admitted calmly.

Ryo was quite patient, though still troubled.

"He spoke of an animal he had seen that was wounded in its hip with an arrow." Ryo paused. "A white tiger." He whispered.

"You mean to say that you are worried it was that friend of yours." Orion stated.

"Yes." He pondered that for a moment, staring off into space. "I must find him or I will never sleep right."

"In the morrow, love." Orion promised leaning forward and kissing Ryo's cheek. Ryo nodded ruefully, then his eyes shot up to be level with Orion's. "What?" He whispered.

"Why are you so distressed?" Ryo wondered.

"I worry about you." He smiled warmly onto his love.

"No, you misunderstand. Something's on your mind, troubling you. What is it?"

Orion nodded comprehending. "Oh." He whispered.

"How did your quest for information go?"

"I found out who the scoundrels are." Orion whispered. After Orion didn't seem about to finish, Ryo raised his brow encouragingly.

"And..." Ryo started, waiting for Orion to finish.

"And... they are angels." He finished sorrowfully.

Ryo was aghast. "In the forest... I did not..." He stuttered regaining his thoughts.

"You did not feel the presence of angels." Orion finished. "I know. Nor did I. Those were Hunters hired by the angels that are apparently out to kill us, you and I."

"Why would they want to kill us?"

"It was apparent to the vampires that there was a large collection of outcasts that were planning on taking over all angels and vampires and then mortals."

"Outcasts." Ryo repeated. "You propose that there was a group of vampires, angels, and other such creatures that have been plotting against us, and training very hard to one day take over everything and order us about!"

Orion nodded.

"So then, George was involved with this as well." Ryo sighed disappointed in the kind old man.

"He had apparently attempted to get out of there because they had him killed by means of those vampires." Orion continued.

"Those vampires were part of it too and these Hunters... Will they continue to chase us?"

"Yes, but they far from being stronger than the vampires. They had only caught you off guard. Together we can take care of those pests, but there are more to contend with."

"What are we to do?" Ryo asked.

"We should head back to the chateau and take care of those Hunters, though they most likely followed us. We can tell the others of our success and check on things. After destroying these Hunters, we will just have to track down the main cause of all this. Our home can not take any more surprise visits from them. George was obviously one of the leaders, Rafe was another, these Hunters must have a leader as well, then there are also the other creatures."

"Who are they?" Ryo questioned stepping closer to Orion.

"They are a smaller group of... morphing creatures."

"What do they change into?"

Orion waited a moment before replying. "Tigers." He answered swiftly.

Ryo was speechless. "Like..." He couldn't get the words out.

"Sephiroth..." That was a blow to Ryo, but Orion had more to say and Ryo was patient to hear, "and White Blaze."

Ryo was surprised, but didn't show it in any way.

"Why did he not tell me?" Ryo whispered as he pushed Orion out of his mind.

"No!" Orion shouted pulling himself back, by holding onto Ryo angrily. It was quite rude in all aspects to do such a thing when you are pushed away. Orion knew this, but he couldn't leave Ryo now.

Ryo's form seemed infuriated at first, wanting to throw Orion's hand away from his arm, but he calmed automatically after staring into Orion's passionate and worry-filled eyes.

He collapsed into Orion's grasp.

"Why did he not tell me?" He repeated.

"It is not something they will just tell anyone, Ryo. White Blaze has probably had hundreds of companions like yourself that he has looked after. Maybe his attempt to tell those owners was a bad try or maybe he just fell too deeply in love with them after being in his human form with them. After losing so many people you care about, you start to become hard, Ryo." He explained.

Ryo looked up quickly. "You?!" He questioned.

Orion gasped, not meaning to make it come out like that. He searched for words.

"You have fallen in love with mortals." Ryo whispered knowingly, calmly looking up to Orion who was still speechless. "You speak from experience, no? Were you planning to tell me? For the same reasons as White Blaze, I suppose." He started to walk the other way and Orion reached for him.

Ryo put up a barrier like bubble around himself. Orion smashed his fist against it, wanting to explain.

"Let me in, Ryo! That is not what I mean...!"

"Please." Ryo interrupted. "No."

Orion stopped as Ryo turned his head gracefully toward him. His hair slipping off his shoulder.

"Ryo." Orion murmured.

"Let me have time to think on this knowledge you have given me. It is not something to just be absorbed and looked over."

"Let me explain!" Orion cried sinking to his knees. "I know what you are thinking! You believe that you are nothing special to me, but you _are_! You are not just some mortal to me! Please, understand! Let me explain this to you more!"

Ryo's face was emotionless and blank. He shook his head gently.

"Leave me for now." He sighed and Orion was thrown back to his own body.

Orion opened his eyes with a snap to see Ryo was no longer next to him. He sat up immediately and looked around frantic.

Sephiroth was also gone, only Zoë remained next to him asleep. She was beautiful, in this state. Almost like a child.

Orion was only agitated another moment before he realized that Ryo was still there and very calm. He sat on the roof above one of the large windows in the room. It was the farthest window and he could see Sephiroth's leg dangling from above.

They sat next to each other in silence.

Sephiroth was next to him like a guardian or a protector, comforting him with his presence.

Zoë sat up next to him.

"They shall be fine up there." She whispered in his ear.

"How do you know?" Orion asked referring to the dispute he had had with Ryo.

"I am unaware of why you fought, but I can assume. Woman's intuition is basically tripled when you are an angel remember?" She smiled knowingly. "Orion, you are over two thousand years old. He is only twenty-four. You have had many people in your life to which you have cared deeply for. He has had one other. It is a lot to swallow, give him time. He will not hate you for having loved before. He may be cross that you have not told him earlier, but he will not hate you. Ryo loves you with all of himself and you love him just as much if not more."

"More." Orion answered and turned to her. "More than you will ever know." He was frowning.

Zoë smiled as if just realizing something.

"What?" He asked defensively.

"You are jealous." Zoë laughed accusingly.

Orion turned to her blushing. "_Jealous_!" He snapped.

She laughed again and pointed to his face. "You are!" She confirmed.

"I am not!"

"Denial." She whispered, smirking amused.

"What?" He growled.

"It's not just a river in Egypt, Orion. Admit it."

He smiled and shook his head. "I suppose I am."

"Why?" She leaned closer to him, now fully awake. "I have never thought you really the jealous type."

"Yes, I know, but..." He paused. "I will be candid with you. I am not the young thing I used to be. Sephiroth is far more beautiful than I am in his human form. I feel he is trying to take Ryo from me and I am being protective. I am trying to win Ryo's love and it just seems that everything I keep from him, should not be told. Every time I tell him something of my past he seems to drift farther and farther away from me."

"Are you worried about him leaving you?" She questioned.

He nodded lying on the bed.

"Ryo..." She was about to say something, but Ryo was next to her with his hand on her shoulder.

She was afraid for a moment, but he was smiling.

"Will you leave us alone for a while?" His silken voice was so pure and mesmerizing, that Zoë got right up without a fuss and moved toward the window quietly.

She turned once hesitantly, not wanting to abandon Orion, but Ryo's calm face was enough to send her up to sit with Sephiroth.

Orion sat up quite worried, but Ryo was watching Zoë leave. There was so much for the ancient angel to say, but no way to say it all.

"Ryo, I want you to know..."

Ryo's finger was on Orion's lips.

"Orion, there is no need to explain." He answered sitting next to Orion. "I am not angry, but like I said, I needed to think on it. You are the most beautiful thing this world has ever borne." Ryo leaned closer keeping eye contact. "Hundreds of people must have come after you wanting your body and mind; your vast knowledge and beauty which surpass that of any other, but what really drew me to you was your heart. You care so much though your heart has obviously been broken before. When I first met you, you were rather cold and grumpy toward me, but you cared so much for your angels. Zoë seemed to be my only friend and there were many times when I considered going home, but I stayed. I am very glad I did too, otherwise I would never have fallen in love with you."

Orion's shock was wearing down and now tears gathered in his eyes.

"I suppose I was very cross toward you. The idea of a mortal wandering around with us while we traveled was not something I was very enthusiastic about. I wanted you gone at first, but all that changed after that battle with the Acolytes; the day you saved my life from certain death."

Ryo blushed as Orion continued.

"You were marvelous with your sword. You destroyed the commander of them all, with one swipe of a thick saber you had just picked up from the ground. I remember the day well, I had told you to stay under cover. I believe I had scolded you very harshly and threatened you in order to make you stay, but you came anyway. After you saved my life and the followers retreated you even bowed on your hands and knees, ready to accept a punishment for not following my orders."

"Some punishment." Ryo whispered sarcastically, then he smiled. "You took me to a spring, made me take off my clothes, and washed my wounds. You dried me off and gave me special clothes to wear like yours, then healed my wounds for the first time." He paused. "It is a moment I will not soon forget. After that you granted me my wings and from that point on would not let me out of your sight." He laughed. "Whenever we ate, I was to always sit next to you."

"I would never have it any other way, even to this day. You not only impressed me with your fighting skills, but you won me over with your courage and valor. Even though I was horrible to you, you still risked your own life to save mine. Even asking for your punishment afterward amazed me. You knew you had done a wrong and even though you saved my life you did not expect me to be lenient with you at all."

"Whenever there was a skirmish with others afterward you made sure I was by your side. The offenders seemed to think you were afraid of dying and needed me to protect you, but I knew the truth. You were looking after me, protecting me from harm. I was rarely out of your sight until a month or two before I visited my friends. You even had me sleep with you, in your own bed, if we were in an area of thieves."

"Zoë was very much in love with you and she wanted you to stay with us for all times. She assumed if we hit it off well that you would never leave. I doubt you know how stressed out she was when you were thinking about staying with Seiji. She cried, quite a bit in my arms and even alone, but she kept a straight face with you."

"She refused to try and influence my decision at all, I know." Ryo looked away from Orion for the first time since their conversation had begun.

"Remember when you were sick, after bringing the young one to the chateau, during the storm?"

Ryo nodded, looking into his eyes again.

"When you decided to live with us, permanently, she was listening around the corner. You know, she jumped for joy when we kissed for the first time like that. She knew you would be staying and it gave her so much joy. All she ever wanted was your love as her friend."

"She knows that she has it and more. I would die for her, as I would for you. If it were to come down to that..."

Orion silenced him with his hand over his mouth.

"Do not speak like that." He whispered urgently.

Ryo stared straight into his eyes patiently. 'If it were to come down to that, I would give my life for you in a heartbeat.'

Orion felt Ryo slip his tongue out onto his flesh. Ryo took Orion's hand into his own and held it to his throbbing heart.

"You feel my heart beating, my love?" He felt Orion push harder against his chest in response. "It beats only for you. I need you with me to survive. Never worry about me leaving you. When I was traveling with you all, it was not the ability to fly that held me to you. I could have left that behind and gone home any time I wanted. It was not the fear of leaving at all. You both held me there, just as your love is the only thing that sustains my life. Without you I would wither and perish. It is I that worry I am pushing you away, when there is nothing I mean not to do more. I need nothing more from you than love and I found it there," Ryo placed his hand over Orion's chest, "in your heart."

"You have eyes for no one else?" Orion asked sincerely.

"No one, but I am jealous of the mirror. How can such an unflattering piece of glass show such a beautiful image of you and such a hideous picture of me?" He laughed playfully.

Orion took Ryo's face into his hands.

"You need not look into any mirror if that is what you see. Only gaze into my eyes to learn the truth from my lips. Your face and body are the most amazing and beautiful forms of flesh I have ever set eyes on, in all of my long years."

Ryo enfolded Orion tightly in his tired arms. He sighed, out of breath and extremely exhausted.

"Why are you so tired my love? Your journey should not have been a hard one, yet you are battered and beaten even in your godly form. Why?"

"It is so hard to explain and I haven't the strength. My mind is open to you, Orion. Take my thoughts and read them." Ryo sighed giving up.

"You scant allow me to read your mind."

"No, I usually don't, but unless you really don't care to find out what happened to me, then you will have to read my memory. I trust you, Orion, I just think it is an invasion of space if you do it without someone's consent."

Orion closed his eyes, plucking through the memories of that day from Ryo's mind and nothing else. After he was through he rubbed Ryo's back muscles gently. Massaging his shoulder blades and the flesh just bellow them. All of Ryo's body was sore, but his wings had taken the brunt of the fall and he was especially sore right there, Orion knew.

Ryo moaned with pleasure.

'Let us just fall asleep like this.' Ryo sighed gently and they laid back onto the pillows, already half asleep and now more at peace.

Zoë and Sephiroth jumped into the window a half hour later, very cold, but quite satisfied when they saw the lovers in each others arms, smiling.

The cold hour and a half they had spent out there was completely worth it and now they could all sleep comfortably.

In the morning they left Franz earlier than he would rise. Orion left a note for Franz, for when he awoke, thanking him for the information and the rest.

They took to the skies heading home now. Sephiroth was running along the trees below, easily seen from above. He ran on the branches of the many trees quickly to keep pace with the angels.

Ryo flew only about ten feet above Sephiroth smiling at his grace and laughing if he fell. They were still about one hundred miles from the chateau, bags in hand. Ryo was playfully twirling about and doing tricks in the air, laughing gaily.

Zoë couldn't keep her laughter in. She erupted with giggles. Orion merely smiled.

_At least he's feeling better._ He thought to himself.

Orion turned quickly toward the trees when he noticed something besides Sephiroth moving. It was too large to be an animal, it was in the shape of a human.

"Company!" Orion shouted out.

A/N: Sorry about not updating in a while, but if I get like five reviews on this chapter, then I'll update in less than a week. If not, I guess I could just wait until I do. –sigh- Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it at least, even if you don't review.


	8. And So It Begins

A/N: Though I doubt many will read this, I know at least two people –one a new reviewer, and two a faithful friend- have asked me to update this, so… he it is. Now that I go back and read this, I realize how out of date with my new style it is, and how grammatically it is also different, so… I just copied and pasted. –sweat droplet- Sorry!

Chapter 8

Ryo stopped his play and looked up at Orion. At that same moment, the human like creature jumped out of the trees and pounced on Ryo, digging its nails into his neck.

Sephiroth leapt onto the creature ripping him off of Ryo. It went falling to the ground, gash marks on its face. It had been covered in fur, with a tail and shaggy brown hair.

Ryo went falling toward the ground, but Sephiroth caught him and landed with him gently only stumbling once.

Rocks came flying out of the trees the size of large bowling balls –shooting through the air dangerously toward the angels.

Zoë dodged the first few, but more came, and they were larger than the last.

"Ah!" She cried out as she barely missed another. Finally, she could no longer evade the stones and a rock crashed into her skull painfully. Orion was distracted and frightened for her immediately, but that's all it took. A boulder connected with his head, then another to his chest and another to his back. He couldn't resist the blackness that ebbed at his mind. Zoë and Orion then went plummeting toward the ground, just as Ryo had before them.

* * *

Orion awoke with a smack to his face. His body burned from the stones he'd been pummeled with. Every muscle ached to move, infinitely more than any ache before.

A tall lanky figure stood in front of him, a whip in hand. He had slapped Orion and was now laughing.

"Ah! You're awake!" He cackled with an accent. Orion tried to regain his senses, though he wasn't sure he wanted to.

He couldn't move his hands. They were tied together above him to a wooden beam that ran across a large clearing, trees surrounding it.

Orion could tell immediately that this man was one of the Hunters along with four others in total who stood around the clearing.

Also, the creature that had jumped on Ryo, was sitting on a high branch, a scowl on his face. He looked disheartened and sad. Slowly he rubbed the cuts on his cheek Sephiroth had given him for the attempt on Ryo's life.

The creature's body was covered in dark brown fur with blonde stripes. A tail swished slowly back and forth. He seemed _en garde_. Fangs showed in his mouth as he growled a deep sound in his throat that no one seemed to hear but him.

"You are here to be punished for your crimes, oh Grand Leader." This Hunter snapped, with a smirk playing across his face.

"What crimes? How dare you imprison me? Who are you?" Orion felt blood in his mouth from the slap to his face and his cheek stung, flushing a soft red.

"The crime of killing our comrades, the vampires! You know! Don't play dumb!" He lost his composure for a moment, then regained it. "As for my name," he said much more politely, "I am Kai! Soon-to-be Ruler of All! With that traitor gone and the vampire Rafe extinguished, only two of us remain! I suppose I should be thanking you really." He leaned closer. "All the less I have to share with those nitwits."

He straightened.

"It's time for your punishment. Both of you!"

Orion quickly turned to his left to see Ryo there, hanging as limply as if he were dead, but with strength still in him. His feet barely reached the ground, his hair dangled in front of him, over his shoulder. He stood on the balls of his feet to keep some of the pressure off his throbbing shoulders.

It hurt Orion to see Ryo there, but it would put Ryo in more pain if Orion let his feelings show. His face remained blank and serene as the Hunter Kai walked behind them with the whip.

Other Hunters were smiling.

The angels' shirts had been removed, ready for the whipping, but Orion just then noticed something else; Sephiroth and Zoë were standing against a tree, tied there and made to watch.

Zoë tried to look calm, but inside she was crying in agony. Sephiroth had the dirtiest scowl on his face. The ropes that bound them were extremely tight and left bruises around their wrists and bodies. Sephiroth's whole forearm was bound. He stood up straight staring right into Orion's powerful eyes.

This would be horrible for them to watch.

The first blow landed painfully, but there was another Hunter behind them landing blows on Ryo as well.

Around them the half-cat creatures, like Sephiroth, looked on painfully. They didn't seem to like it, but they did nothing to prevent it.

More blows that were much sharper than the ones before. Blood started to flow down their backs, making the whip sting more.

'Zoë, don't cry.' Ryo whispered in all of their minds. Ryo wasn't making any noises at all. Not a peep of pain. He was still as relaxed as he looked. 'Sephiroth, control your temper. I would not forgive myself if they did this to you, too.'

Orion called his strength to him and went to a higher plateau with Ryo.

* * *

They floated mere inches apart.

"Why can we not feel what our bodies feel? I thought…" Orion whispered, his eyes closed.

"I have a barrier up around us both, shielding us from it." Ryo encircled Orion's smooth flesh in his arms.

Orion did the same, noticing the liquid shield around them.

"How long will they continue this?" He questioned, exhaustedly.

"I'm not sure." Ryo replied in the same manner. "But they will probably think we lost consciousness and leave us here through the night to die. I was talking to the half-cats around us before you regained consciousness. Orion, they were forced to capture us for these Hunters. If they did not then the Hunters would have killed their friend."

"Who is their friend?"

"White Blaze." Ryo answered. Orion was silent.

"Let's just wait here until night fall." Orion whispered, referring to the plateau.

* * *

After the Hunters left with their bad jokes and the half-cats disappeared from sight with them, Zoë broke into tears.

She bawled and wept until she could bring no more tears to her eyes. She wanted to sink to the ground and cry, but the ropes held her too tight.

Sephiroth wanted to snap the ropes that bound them, but he was afraid of hurting Zoë more.

An hour of waiting and Sephiroth had clawed a hole in the tree that bound them. His wrist was sore from the single continuous movement so many times. His nails were hurting, but now he had enough room to get his arms free.

"Lean forward against the ropes." He commanded. Zoë pushed forward with all her might and Sephiroth could lean forward and get his arms out. Now he had more room behind himself and he wiggled his bottom out. Using his claws to hold himself to the tree while he got out, he then got his legs, and finally he fell to the ground, free at last.

His arms still bound behind him, he got unsteadily up and ran to Zoë. Using his other hand he cut the ropes away from her one by one.

She was free finally. They leaned their backs against one another and Sephiroth broke Zoë free of the ropes binding her arms with little difficulty, then she untied his.

They leaned against the tree rubbing their wrists momentarily, trying to get blood flow back into their limbs, but it hurt so much. They were bruised and tired, but they had to free Orion and Ryo.

Wobbling over to their comrades, they realized they had been chained. Not only that, but the chains hung about three feet higher than Sephiroth's height.

"Can you make it?" Zoë asked gasping for breath, yet fighting to remain silent.

"I might be able to jump the distance, but I don't know if my strength is great enough to break their bonds." He was still rubbing his right wrist.

"Try!" Zoë pleaded and Sephiroth was about to when they were surrounded by the half-cat creatures. They were hovering low to the ground. Five of them surrounded the group. One of them stood up straight. She seemed to be the ring leader here.

Sephiroth stepped in front of Zoë defensively, growling deeply toward this thing who took a step toward them.

"Goldeye." It whispered. "It's me, Kiara." She tossed her hair back and took another step forward.

"That's far enough, Kiara!" Sephiroth snapped.

"We had no choice!" She pleaded. Her fur was a silky black color, with gray stripes on her face and a spot on her forehead.

Sephiroth tried to claw at her, but missed.

"Take a damn form already!" He hissed. "I won't talk to you like that!"

She waited a moment, then changed fully into a beautiful human woman, naked and gorgeous, with shaggy black hair.

"Goldeye, believe me, we wouldn't do this without a very good reason." She was almost begging.

"I don't care for your stupid reasons. And my name is Sephiroth like this!" He paused, full of fury. "If you really, mean us no harm, then you will leave us alone." Sephiroth's eyes never left hers.

"Sephiroth." Ryo whispered and Sephiroth almost stumbled, quickly trying to get to him.

"Ryo!" Zoë gasped as they gathered near him.

"Listen to her. She's telling the truth. The Hunters would have killed White Blaze if she had not done what they had ordained."

"You are far more significant than that cat, why would you worry more about him than yourself?" Sephiroth wanted to hold Ryo in his arms, but it would probably hurt him. He rested his head against Ryo's chest and felt Ryo kiss his head.

"Please, get us down." He begged and Sephiroth stepped aside as Kiara transformed back into her half-cat shape –with fur but still not completely like a cat- and jumped up on the beam, landing gracefully. She took a key from the nest that was her hair and unlocked the chain. After that she tore at the metal around Ryo's wrists while hanging upside down from the log and removed the bondage.

He fell into the grasp of two other half-cats.

Kiara moved across the log to Orion and did the same. He was caught by the last two half-cats and Kiara led them away from there.

"We must be quick! They will notice soon and they will come to destroy us all." Kiara hurried them along.

"Wait!" Ryo called out. They all stopped and Ryo forced them away so he could stand. "Orion!" He whispered and Orion's eyes fluttered open.

"My love." He gasped in pain.

"Orion, do me this favor." Ryo asked as he kneeled next to Orion. The half-cats lowered him to the ground near Ryo.

"Anything."

"I will heal you and Sephiroth. I want you to go after the Hunters, save White Blaze, and destroy them all before they can do any more damage." Ryo held Orion's face in his soft hands.

"Ryo, you will be severely weakened." He warned.

"I know, but I need you both to do this for me. I will not have those bastards going to the chateau thinking we are dead and hurting anyone else."

Orion nodded reluctantly.

"Sephiroth, come here." Ryo reached out his hand and Sephiroth took it. Ryo pulled him closer and Sephiroth kneeled near him.

Ryo reached for Sephiroth's face and pulled it toward his. He pushed some of his healing power into Sephiroth, giving him strength and healing his aches and pains; keeping enough energy to heal Orion and keep himself alive.

He turned to Orion falling into his grasp. He pushed what remained of his power into Orion, healing the welts on his back and the pain in his body.

After his power was spent, he slid his tongue into Orion's mouth sensuously, then stopped and pulled away.

"Good luck, my love." Ryo whispered, his eye lids heavy. Orion stood, now fully powered and Sephiroth stood with him.

They took one more look at Zoë and Ryo, and ran after the Hunters quickly.

"Take care of him!" Orion ordered sternly.

They nodded and picked Ryo up, continuing down the path, that led to their secret cave.

* * *

Orion and Sephiroth were filled with fury and now Ryo's power. They weren't about to waste one bit of it.

Destroy the bastards.

Torture them a bit.

Save the cat.

Get back to Ryo.

It was a pretty decent checklist.

* * *

Zoë stood outside the cave waiting for Orion and Sephiroth and hoping they would come back alive.

She saw three figures coming down the small path, all human. Zoë immediately ran into Orion's grasp as he came closer. She kissed his face all over in relief.

"You are all right!" She exclaimed, then turned to Sephiroth and kissed him as well. They looked tired from the long night, but otherwise fine; one scratch above Orion's left eye, but no other injuries.

Zoë turned to the last human form, but she was positive he wasn't human. He wore a loin cloth and nothing more. His hair was extremely long, past his waist and white with highlights of black. His eyes looked completely black, but only because it was so dark out; they were probably brown. His body was flawless and very strongly built.

"Who…?" She whispered curiously.

He looked at her only for a moment, then kept walking toward the cave. He walked in and was immediately held by Kiara and the half-cat that was scarred on his face by Sephiroth.

This didn't cheer him up though. His sights were set on Ryo, who laid on a bed of hay and grass, his entire back and chest, wrapped with bandages.

His eyes were closed, his skin looked blanch compared to the dark rocks behind him. His hair had globs of blood snarled into it.

The man kneeled next to Ryo and stayed completely silent, putting his hands together, and bowing his head as if he were in prayer.

"Ryo…" He whispered. Ryo didn't respond, but the man knew he was awake. He held Ryo's hand in his and licked it gently, as if he were a dog vying to get his master's attention –and in a sense he was.

No response.

Orion came over and kissed Ryo's forehead in greeting.

"Did you do it?" Ryo whispered hoarsely.

"We did just as you'd asked. We destroyed the Hunters, we saved White Blaze, and we came back alive." Orion paused. "Now, open your eyes, angel. I need to see your eyes." He almost begged, but didn't need to. Ryo opened his eyes slowly to see Orion fighting the pain of seeing his mate in such disarray.

Ryo looked slightly shocked as he lifted up his left hand and touched the scratch above Orion's eye.

"You are hurt." He gasped. It hurt Ryo just to say that, but he always worried about others before himself and it made Orion laugh.

"We will take you home and clean you up, then we'll stop all this death and we will raise our coven to be the best again. You wait and see."

Ryo smiled, started to cry, and nearly laughed out loud.

"It hurts." He declared and sucked in another breath as Orion embraced him. He kissed Ryo gently all over his face, then his shoulders and neck.

"I know." He sighed. "You are becoming so strong now, my love. After this you won't ever have to feel this kind of pain again. I will make sure of it."

Ryo nodded.

"Ryo…" The man whispered still beside Ryo.

"Blaze…" Ryo gasped and opened his eyes again. "Is that what I should call you? I can't call you White Blaze, that is the name of a tiger I once knew." He sneered –venom of betrayal flowing through his words.

"Do you hate me for it? For not telling you? For not showing you?"

Ryo shook his head, though it pained him to.

"No, I am angered and I am frustrated because I hurt all over. It has nothing to do with you. If I were in a better condition the news would have come a lot easier. Please, do not think I hate you because I love you, like I love Sephiroth."

He nodded. There was a long period of silence.

"Call me Sarion."

"Dog?" Zoë asked from behind them, referring to the meaning of the name.

"No." Ryo whispered to correct her. "Guardian, protector." He smiled. "Cute. I like it. Sarion. It kind of grows on you."

"It also means dog." Orion stood and turned to Zoë, adjusting into a teach mode. "The civilization that created the language always used the symbol of a dog as a keeper or defender, though."

Zoë nodded.

* * *

Zoë left soon after to hunt until early morning. She returned with a walrus carcass over her bloodied shoulder and a half a dozen eels tied to a rope in her other hand.

Kiara was aghast.

"Thanks for the help." Zoë dropped the shark in front of Kiara and stared at her, frowning.

Kiara didn't move. She was in a state of pure shock.

"We didn't do much. Certainly not enough to deserve such a prize." She gasped.

"We can hunt for our own food." The scarred half-cat walked up next to Kiara scowling.

"I'm sure." Zoë smirked and gestured to the eels. "I am also sure you rarely get the chance to eat anything out of the sea, so…" She tossed the eels to the half-cat next to Kiara, "enjoy."

Sephiroth came walking out of the cave curiously.

"I smell fish." He snapped and his eyes widened when he saw the prize Zoë had caught. He looked the situation over, then turned to Zoë. "What? Nothing for me?"

She smiled and tossed him a rabbit.

"We will have to leave soon, eat quickly." She walked past Sephiroth and into the cave. "Ryo!" She called out as she turned the corner and saw him standing, dressed, but still dirty.

"You shouldn't be standing!" She ran up to him. He held out his arms to her and she slowed her pace immediately.

"I am not going to be babied. If you mean to do anything that entails putting me back to bed then you can forget it. Zoë…" Ryo kissed her forehead as Orion walked in.

Orion gasped. He didn't like seeing Ryo up and dressed.

"What do you think you are doing?" Orion groaned.

"I am strong enough to fly." Ryo answered confidently.

"No, you are not. I will carry you back, my love, don't worry."

"Why carry me when I can take myself? It is foolish." Ryo insisted.

"You have not fully healed." Zoë cried out. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hid her face in his neck. There was a period of silence as all considered Zoë's motherly worry and her feelings.

"Who helped you dress?" Orion queried. Zoë stopped holding Ryo so she could look into his eyes. She hadn't thought about that.

"It matters little." Ryo sighed turning away. Sephiroth walked in just then, a piece of meat in one hand, his other combed through his hair, which was back to its original length. Sephiroth saw the situation and pivoted on his foot immediately turning back to the entrance.

"Stop!" Orion ordered sharply. Sephiroth froze in place. "Come here."

Sephiroth groaned in protest, but turned to Orion and took three _smaller_ steps toward him.

"Orion, what's done is done! Leave him alone. Let's just go." Ryo pleaded.

Orion walked the rest of the way toward Sephiroth, until they were one foot apart. He reached out his hand and caressed Sephiroth's cheek.

Sephiroth gasped, not only in shock, but in pleasure. Orion's skin was so smooth and soft. He was so gentle when he wanted to be, but it was so rare that he was gentle to anyone other than Ryo and Zoë.

"Thank you." Orion whispered calmly.

Sephiroth's mouth dropped. He had expected to be scolded for helping Ryo.

"I owe you my life."

"No, you have no such debt to me. I did not do much last night. It was only the half-cats and…"

Orion raised his finger to Sephiroth's lips.

"You have been a wonderful companion to Ryo and helped him at every turn. You have protected him when I could not and risked your life to save his many times. I know that whatever he asks you to do, you will do it, not only out of respect, but out of love. He asked you to help me destroy those Hunters last night and you complied without hesitation, though you worried for his life all the more."

"I would do anything for you _all_." He corrected. "I was told by Arigazi to look after and protect the Skies' rulers. She told me to stay with you, Orion. However, you are very strong and intelligent and don't much need looking after. On the other hand…" Sephiroth turned to look at Ryo.

"… my young love is strong, pigheaded, and honorable." Orion agreed and looked at Ryo, then Sephiroth.

"Now that that's decided, let us get going." Ryo offered, slightly miffed about what had been said about himself. Orion walked over to him.

"Are you positive you can fly?"

"No." Ryo answered honestly, yet with a calm air about him.

Orion nodded in acknowledgement. "Let's go."

As the three angels stepped out of the cave Sarion stepped up to them.

"Am I still welcome?" He whispered, speaking to Ryo.

Ryo stood up as straight as his back would allow it, and embraced his companion.

"Always." He sighed. They smiled.

"May I carry you home?" He whispered into Ryo's ear. "It would be my honor."

He groaned with relief and held Sarion tighter. "I would very much like that, Sarion. May Orion ride with me?"

"All right." He kissed Ryo's hair.

Ryo pulled all his strength to him and looked back to Orion.

He was smiling, knowingly. He walked up to Ryo, placing his hand on Ryo's hip.

"Zoë, are you flying?" Orion wondered.

"No." She laughed. "I think I will be running with Sephiroth." They glanced at each other and Sephiroth smirked.

Orion and Zoë thanked the half-cats for their kindness and they all took off. Sarion transformed into his beastly form, then waited patiently for Ryo to lower himself onto his back. He laid on his stomach on the ground so that Ryo could board more easily. Orion jumped on behind him and held Ryo the whole while that White Blaze ran.

He moved as gracefully as it was possible for him to, so that Ryo would not be jarred too much during the duration of the journey through the forests and mountains.

White Blaze kept good pace with the marathon runners. Sephiroth and Zoë. They didn't leave each others sights once, nor did they speak one word to each other.

Zoë and Sephiroth ran up the mountain side of the chateau as if it were a game. They raced and Sephiroth jumped gleefully in the air when he won.

"All right, you won!" Zoë gasped, out of breath. "Race you to the chateau!" She shouted and took off. He was baffled for a moment, before he took off after her.

Chandria was the first one to come dashing out of the chateau. She ran right up to White Blaze, when he stopped, and jumped into Ryo's arms.

"Fathers! I've missed you so much!" She kissed Ryo's cheek. "Did you accomplish what you set out to do?" She smiled.

"Yes." Ryo answered simply.

"Chandria, the journey has tired us out. Perhaps we could talk later." Orion suggested and she jumped off of Ryo and ran over to Zoë.

"Mommy!" She yelled. Orion ignored her.

Yuli was next to come running up to them. He embraced Ryo before he could even get off of White Blaze.

"I was so worried." Tears streamed down his cheeks and into Ryo's hair –damn teenage hormones. When Yuli pulled back he noticed the bandages around Ryo's stomach. "What happened?"

"A few scratches." Ryo smiled and Yuli believed him. The bandages left some skin still visible over his pants and his shirt covered most of the wrappings so there wasn't anything to be doubtful of.

Seiji, Cale, and Sekmet came out next, trailed by Marcie.

"Master!" She shouted. "I am so glad to see you safe! Young Lord, are your wounds serious?" She questioned walking up to them, a clipboard in hand, a quill behind her ear.

"No." Ryo shook his head, still smiling.

"How are we doing?" Orion asked getting off of White Blaze and stepping closer to Marcie.

"I sent the rest of Lord's friends out for food this morrow. There is plenty of firewood for a while. That is good, but the new servants that were sent to us are complaining _so_ much. They all want to leave, Master. You have plenty of gold left and we haven't seen one new enemy since you left." She smiled, content with her report.

"Alright, have the new servants go through the East and North wings and clean them all once more, then close them off. That leaves the servants' quarters and half of our guest rooms. More wood, less cleaning." He surmised. "Send the new servants away and close off the second kitchen. We are starting anew."

Marcie seemed scared for a moment. "Anew, Master?"

"I have much faith in you, Marcie." He kissed her forehead and sent her off to work. "Zoë!" She came up next to him quickly. "Get those vocal cords working and tell those servants what for. Give them the usual ultimatum; do or die."

She nodded smiling and went off to scare some orders into them.

While Orion was talking to Zoë, Yuli had leaned closer to Ryo. He whispered into his ear.

"What about that journey?" He whispered a bit too close to Ryo's ear for the angel's liking.

"Ryo." Orion pulled him up before Yuli could say anything else.

'Thanks.' Ryo sighed, resisting the urge to rub at his ear.

"Seiji." Ryo called and smiled mischievously. "How are you?" He embraced Seiji, who was calmly sizing his injuries up.

"Is there ever a trip you go on, where you don't hurt yourself?" He chuckled.

"I don't hurt myself. _They_ hurt me."

"I see no difference."

They both smiled.

"Cale." Ryo whispered and hugged him.

"Yes?"

"You have been wonderful with the others."

"Thank you." Cale smiled.

"You know Yuli has a crush on me?" He whispered and Cale nodded. "I love him like I love all of you, but it can not go any further than that." Ryo closed his eyes as he leaned his head on Cale's shoulder.

"I know. I'll help him." Cale groaned, not looking forward to the duty.

"Thank you." Ryo moved away from them to Orion.

Sekmet had heard every word of it. "What are you going to say?" He questioned calmly.

"It'd be easier if we just make him fall in love with someone else." Cale paused. "I'll talk to Sye."

* * *

Sephiroth and White Blaze followed Ryo and Orion up the stairs and to their room.

"They have yet to see anyone else come here." Orion repeated what Marcie had told him.

"That is good." Ryo grunted as he sat on the bed.

"Yes, but the evildoers are probably still following you two." Sephiroth combed his fingers through his hair. White Blaze transformed next to him.

"Why are they just after you two?" Sarion questioned as he sat next to Ryo.

"Because of our power." Ryo answered. He pulled a towel out of the nightstand drawer and handed it to Sarion who stared at it a moment, then covered himself. "Because we are the strongest of all angels now that Arigazi has died. Perhaps, because we unknowingly did something to them and now they want revenge. It could even be an ancestral reason, but most likely because we have a lot of influence over so many others and they want that."

"What can we do to protect you two?" Sephiroth crossed his arms.

"Nothing." Orion answered. "The cause of all this will come for us soon enough. As soon as Ryo has healed we should head out again."

"This may sound stupid…" Sarion announced, "but why don't you just heal him?"

"He would if he could, but it exhausted my own strength to heal him, to do that would only put him in the same boat as me." Ryo gestured to Orion.

"I would do it in a heartbeat if there were not monsters chasing after us." Orion walked closer to Ryo and pet his hair reassuringly. "You know that?" Orion caressed his face.

"Of course." Ryo kissed his palm and wrist gently.

"Where's that vampire/angel character? Josh, was it?" Sephiroth looked around the room.

"Here." Josh whispered from the window.

Sephiroth and Sarion both jumped to attention to protect the angels, but they relaxed after a moment where neither angel tensed for attack.

"Don't _do_ that." Sephiroth snapped turning to lean against the bed post, agitated.

"Who is _this_ character?" Sarion asked Ryo as he sat near him again.

"This is Josh. He was an angel that was turned into a vampire."

"How did you find us?" Orion asked.

"To be honest, I smelt his blood in the air half an hour ago." Josh jumped down from the window gesturing to Ryo. "How'd that happened?" He walked closer.

"Hunters." Ryo growled leaning his elbows on his knees.

"You know the angels are coming? The evil ones." Josh raised his brow calmly.

They nodded.

"What will you do?" He laughed. "You can't defeat them in _that_ condition."

"I know." Ryo nodded solemnly.

"Where are the Mystic Five?" Orion questioned turning to Josh.

"They went out on a patrol for anyone in the vicinity."

"I told everyone to stay here!" Orion growled angrily.

"They are very strong." Ryo contributed. "They can take care of themselves."

"I know they can." Orion whispered gently. "That is not the point, however. They should not have done that. These angels are as strong as you and I, Ryo, if not stronger and there is no telling how many."

Ryo nodded.

Orion closed his eyes for a period of time as if he were trying to concentrate deeply and accomplish something important, then he scowled and opened them again.

"Ryo." Orion called and walked over to him.

Ryo looked up to him tiredly.

"I can not find them, love." He admitted.

Ryo understood immediately. Orion needed his assistance, however slight it may be in his condition.

He filled his lungs and lifted his hand up to Orion who entwined his own fingers in Ryo's hand. They both closed their eyes and, now concentrating, they found the Mystic Five. They were walking on the border of the Skies' forest territory.

Orion called out to them, telling them to come back immediately and they snapped to attention and started right home.

"Good." Orion relaxed, sliding his hand away from Ryo's. "Thank you." He leaned his forehead against Ryo's and kissed him.

"Anything for you." He sighed.

"Rest." Orion insisted.

Ryo stood. "I want to go for a run."

Orion glared at him angrily. Why was it whenever he asked Ryo to rest the man desired to go outside for some recreational activity?

"I will sleep once the Mystic Five are back and safe." Ryo tapped Sarion's shoulder. "Come with me?" Ryo asked.

"I'll come!" Sephiroth added quickly.

"Okay." Ryo whispered and went to the window.

"Ryo?" Orion growled. Ryo turned to him.

"What?"

"Use the door." Orion continued, giving up on trying to keep Ryo inside.

"Why?" Ryo raised his brow innocently. Sarion transformed quickly and picked Ryo up onto his back.

They jumped out the window.

Sephiroth smiled turning to Orion and running to the window.

"I'll look after them." He laughed and jumped out the window backwards.

Orion nodded.

"Let's go." Orion ushered Josh towards the door and they headed downstairs the proper way.

* * *

The landing jarred Ryo more than he'd anticipated and he wondered if he really shouldn't have used the door, but he wanted to be outside and taking the time to go out through the gardens wasn't his thing. After they landed, Ryo started to run beside White Blaze. Sephiroth ran a distance ahead of Ryo and started doing tricks. Hands stands and flips, back hand springs and such –causing Ryo to laugh aloud and White Blaze the snicker in his own feline way.

Ryo slowed to a walk as he laughed hysterically. Sephiroth was acting just like a child and it was very humorous.

"Lord!" Some called.

Ryo looked over to some trees that bordered the mountain and saw Sky Racer waving her arm in the air fiercely. The Mystic Five ran toward Ryo and were soon right in front of him, out of breath.

"Lord, you've returned!" Daemon reached Ryo and bowed, then noticed his lightly bleeding wounds. "Does it hurt?" He asked calmly –all joy eliminated from his words.

"It is not as bad as it looks. I just got a little too close to those Hunters." He paused. "Do not worry yourself."

As the other Mystic Five came closer Ryo smiled, then calmly told them about the happenings and what was going on.

"I have good news and bad news."

"Good news first." Coji snapped. Ryo nodded with a slight smile at the outburst from the younger man.

"In light of all the deaths we have experienced, Orion and I have decided to close off half the chateau. The East, and North wings will be shut down and closed off as well as one of the kitchens. We are going to start anew. Of course, then comes the bad news. We can not start anew if there are still assassins after our lives. The attackers have been destroyed. All except the leaders of this charade." Ryo closed his eyes, disappointedly. "Angels. The offenders are now all angels. Those are the only ones left; angels."

The Mystic Five gasped, all of them quite angry and shocked.

"I wish it were not true, but it is. I am not going to sugarcoat it for you." Ryo frowned and opened his gentle blue eyes. "Orion probably wants to see you all."

"Is he angry?" Centauri asked sweetly.

"I do not believe that you did anything wrong." Ryo looked down to her. Centauri was the smallest of the Five. Her body was that of a child and he constantly had to remind himself that she'd been around much longer than he had. "Orion is afraid for everyone, but shows it with a more aggressive nature. Even if he does yell at you for not doing as he says, you know he still loves and appreciates you all. Keep that in mind."

They nodded and headed to the chateau confidently after saying their partings to Ryo.

Sephiroth walked up from behind Ryo, wrapping his arms around his stomach and resting his head on Ryo's shoulder gently.

"Are you tired?"

"Yes." He admitted.

"Let's go in then." Sephiroth suggested, guiding Ryo toward the chateau.

"You are right, I promised Orion I would rest."

Sephiroth nodded and they headed back to the chateau. The sun blazed brightly that day and Ryo wished he had the strength to enjoy it, even if it was to sit on a rock and soak up the light, but Orion wanted him safely inside. Though he usually was defiant about such things, now was not the time to be defiant… perhaps later.

White Blaze carried Ryo up the stairs swiftly, being as gentle as possible. Sephiroth, however, stayed down in the Hall and sat on the fountain watching people bustle this way and that.

* * *

Ryo kicked his shoes off, trying not to touch his back to anything, or twist it sharply.

He laid back on the pillows, exhausted. Quickly using up his reserve, he pulled the blankets over him and heaved a heavy sigh of relief, he didn't have to move anymore and could rest.

Ryo felt an enormous weight jump onto the bed and knew that White Blaze must have joined him. The tiger curled up close to Ryo, supplying him with more warmth. Ryo fell asleep easily, feeling safe and calm.

* * *

A long while after Ryo had fallen asleep the windows jumped open exposing a lot of cold wind to the room. It immediately woke both Ryo and White Blaze. They perked quickly, ready to mobilize if necessary.

Ryo squinted his eyes, looking at the window grumpily. It was still light out, and his sore body wasn't putting him in the best mood.

White Blaze nudged his arm and jumped off the bed. He went to close the window with his nose. After walking back quietly, the window popped open again.

Ryo growled deep in his throat. The wind was especially loud right now and the climate wasn't helping either.

It was starting to snow again.

Ryo rose slowly from his bed and White Blaze licked his hand, wanting him to rest some more.

"Do you sense that?" He questioned the tiger, who turned back to look at the window Ryo was staring so intensely at.

'Orion! Come here!' Ryo shouted out. He frowned when the wind gusted through the room harder and faster.

The angel master charged through the door a second later and growled furiously at the wind and snow starting to collect in his room. He made his way over to Ryo quickly, to protect him alongside White Blaze who roared at the wind and bared his teeth.

The door slammed shut in the next instant, but Orion had no hand in it. Someone started to bang on the door, trying to get it open, but they couldn't. The windows sealed themselves shut with a bang.

The wind was captured and trapped inside the room circling around the three.

A figure stepped out of the now darkened room.

Orion drew a sword from his side with his left hand and held Ryo with his other. This sword was different from the rapiers he usually carried which were a smaller size. He had retrieved this sword from his personal vault while Ryo was outside. Ryo had one as well, much like Orion's. This sword was finely crafted from the strongest of metals and molded together by elves –they were their battle swords.

"Come forward!" Orion commanded.

A misty woman stepped forward. A beautiful woman, with long silver hair. Her hair was tied back with a black bandana and her eyes stared gently at Ryo. She was tall, her clothes looked something like what the angels wear now, a waist coat, tight black pants under that, and knee high boots.

"Arigazi." Ryo whispered tiredly. Orion kept his sword up.

"How do we know it is her?" Orion snapped defensively.

"Why else would it be snowing in your chamber?" She asked wittily. Ryo glanced up to the ceiling and did indeed see the snow directly coming from the stone with dark clouds circling the room.

"Make it stop!" Orion growled, trying to be heard above the howling wind. Arigazi waved her hand and the snow stopped immediately.

"Why did you do that?" Ryo asked. "I mean the snow thing. If you wanted to say something you could have just…"

"The angels that are hunting you are very close. The only way I could descend from the heavens unnoticed by them was to come in the form of a snow blizzard. It will make it harder for them get to you as well."

_There goes that nice sunny day._ Ryo thought to himself dejectedly.

"Did you know about all this?" Orion hissed accusingly.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Why did you not tell us, or do something!" Ryo gasped, clenching his fist. "All those angels! All those _lives_, Arigazi! Have you not seen the graves? Those horrible creatures killed so many!"

"I was forbidden from telling you." She frowned.

"When has that ever stopped you?" Orion bit his lip, trying to fight the urge to hit her.

The window burst open just then and Sephiroth jumped through.

"What the hell is going on here!" Sephiroth stopped the moment he saw Arigazi. "Larean." His breath escaped him.

"Goldeye." She smiled, turning to him. "I thought you preferred to watch humans, rather than become one yourself."

"Times have changed since your passing." He whispered, barely able to bring himself to speak when the woman he thought dead now stood before him again.

"Indeed." She nodded.

"Why is there snow on the floor?" He queried scanning the room. He was ignored.

"Arigazi, did you have anything else to say!" Orion yelled, angrily.

"Do not hold that tone with me, Orion!" She turned on him quickly. "You know damn well this is not my fault, and I will not let you pin it on me. Only the living are aloud to tell predictions to one another. I am forbidden by every law to tell you anything that might happen, even if it is a mass killing, or the death of a loved one…"

"What do you mean _death of a loved one_?" Orion snapped, now furious. Arigazi continued as if he hadn't even spoken.

"…I merely came to give you this." Arigazi held up her hand. A necklace was entwined between her fingers. It was a small chain made of silver with an orb of blue on it. "It is a necklace made of titanium. The sphere is filled with the spiritual essence of twelve centuries worth of ruling angels and their pure bodies. If anything should happen to either of you, this will save your life, but it will only work once." She paused still holding it out to them. "No matter how great the injury, no matter how bad the illness."

"What is it for?" Ryo asked, taking one step away from Orion.

"I just told you." She retorted patiently.

"No." Ryo corrected. "Why are you giving it to us? Are you planning on having one of us visit you permanently soon?"

She shook her head. "Your birthday was some time ago." She smiled. "I meant to give it to you then, but after that fight with Franz I assumed you might need a bit of time to recuperate."

"You knew I would be wounded like that then?" He sighed.

"Ryo." She took several steps closer to him. Ryo didn't back away or move forward, but when Arigazi was within two feet of him Orion held his sword to her neck and she stopped to look at him. "I am a ghost; a spirit. You can not pierce me with that blade and have it affect me whatsoever."

"Normally." He conceded that. "But _my_ blade was bathed in dragons' blood. Say what you need to say and leave. You are unwelcome here."

Arigazi squinted angrily at him, but smiled as she turned back to Ryo –ignoring the threatening blade so close to his astral skin.

"I care little what you think about the gift, about the past, or about what I know. I do care that you wear this, please." She held out the necklace again. "For the respect you used to have for me."

Ryo gingerly took the necklace from her. "Thank you." He looked up, into her eyes. She turned to leave. "Arigazi." He called. "Whatever secrets you hold…" He started, "matter not. I appreciate this and every thing you have done for us before now."

She nodded and disappeared with another gust of wind. The snow picked up from the floor and left with her, past Sephiroth.

Ryo pulled the necklace over his head and through his hair.

"When I heard you yelling, I came up to investigate and found the door locked, so I went around the chateau to your window and leapt up here." Sephiroth answered the unasked question.

"That is alright." Ryo nodded. The orb glowed for a moment, then dimmed. "So they are close."

"We should prepare." Orion held the orb in his hand and closed his eyes. He let it go after a moment.

"What?" Ryo asked.

"Just making sure what she said is true." He shook his head.

"Well?" Sephiroth asked. White Blaze rubbed his head against Ryo's thigh.

"She was not _lying_." Orion sneered.

"You sound disappointed." Ryo chuckled.

"Why were you so cross with her?" Sephiroth wondered.

"What I said was not totally out of line." Orion sighed releasing tense muscles. "I suppose I was quite nasty with her though."

Ryo encircled Orion in his arms. "You are tense and tired. Patience will only last for so many days. I am sure she understands." Ryo kissed his neck and released him.

"Yes." Orion nodded slowly.

"Why does it make a difference if your blade is bathed in dragon blood or not?" Sephiroth asked stepping closer.

"Mystical dragons blood has many uses and one of them is the ability to destroy spirits. That is why you never see spirits hanging around dragons." Orion looked down at Ryo and pulled him toward the door. "You had a very interesting conversation with the Mystic Five. Contradicting everything I was about to tell them. I do not want them to favor one of us over the other." He was very calm as he spoke.

"I did not mean to make them do that. I only meant to ease their worries and give them courage." Ryo began to go on with an apology, but Orion covered his lips with his hand.

"Your talk did just that. You gave them confidence and made them feel better about what they did. You are growing into a wonderful leader." He tapped Ryo's nose gently; his soft voice made Ryo calm down immediately.

They all walked down toward the ballroom. Daemon was leaning on the railing waiting for them.

"What was all that ruckus?" He asked, crossing his ankles as they stopped beside him.

"A spirit." Ryo stated simply.

"A rather annoying spirit." Orion corrected. "Where are the others?" He asked referring to the Five.

"Speaking with Lord's Ronin friends." Daemon answered.

"The game is afoot." Orion placed his hand on Daemon's shoulder for a minute and he realized what Orion meant.

"Damn!" He snapped and ran to find Sky Racer.

Orion and Ryo started down the stairwell.

"Marcie!" Ryo shouted and saw her head peak out of the kitchen door. "Take everyone and hide in the secret passage! Have the new servants left yet!"

"Yes, Lord!" She yelled as she gathered everyone to her. Chandria went running up to Ryo as he descended the stairs quickly.

"Lord!" She curtsied quickly then stood ready to speak.

"Chandria, go hide!" He ordered.

She took his hand quickly and kissed it.

"I only wanted to tell you 'be careful' and to wish you luck." She began to rush off and Ryo caught her arm and knelt in front of her.

"Do it properly then." He whispered closing his eyes. She blushed as she leaned forward and kissed his forehead then watched him smile. She went running off to join Marcie quickly and they all went to hide where Orion had hidden them when the vampires had attacked, only now they took lamps and water.

"Cale, Sky!" Orion yelled. "Pair off and ready yourselves to fight."

They nodded.

"Daemon and Kento. Coji and Sekmet. Centauri, Sye, and Seiji. Coro, Rowen, and Dais. You do the same. Prepare for battle."

Yuli came running up to Ryo and hugged him. Ryo pulled him away roughly.

"Go with Marcie."

Yuli's eyes looked pleading for Ryo to let him stay.

"Don't you dare argue with me that you were allowed to stay around when you were younger and we fought Talpa. You know very well I told you to stay behind and you almost got killed for not doing what I told you to do, but you will listen to me this time." He ordered. Yuli nodded, smiling.

"Alright." He sighed resting his head on Ryo's shoulder. Ryo was startled. Yuli waited another moment then took off to go with Marcie. Ryo watched him go, in complete and total awe.

"There _is_ a god." Ryo murmured in shock.

Sky and Cale came walking up to Orion and Ryo. They seemed annoyed and troubled.

"Why did you pair us up?" Sky asked calmly, a small frown line beside her pink lips.

"These angels' power is able to match ours." Orion motioned to Ryo and himself. "Each of them has the power of one of us. The only way you could help us without killing yourselves is by doing this. Please." Orion sighed when her frown didn't disappeared. "Do not argue with me." He sounded exasperated.

Sky bowed to one knee, her fist across her chest, then she stood and retreated proudly back with the others.

Cale looked at Ryo, very determined.

"They are here, already?" He asked.

"Yes." Ryo nodded.

"Can you fight?" He stepped closer.

"Whether I can or not, it doesn't make a difference. I _must_ fight. This battle will be most difficult, Cale. Be safe." Ryo demanded.

Cale nodded and walked away.

Sephiroth came in front of Ryo. "I'm fighting too." He insisted. Orion looked at Ryo debatably. "I only need a sword." He was frowning and looking very determined.

"Let us find you a sword then." Ryo smiled. He took Sephiroth's hand, tugging him toward the stairs again. They were out of sight and back before five minutes had passed. Sephiroth and Ryo both had swords. Ryo's sword was curved inwardly in the middle, and designs of dragons decorated the blade. This sword, Orion had given to him a year ago. It was extremely sturdy and damn near unbreakable, with a gold handle and white leather hilt. Orion's sword was the brother blade to his.

Sephiroth held a thick sword, with a thick long handle that needed two hands to hold. One side had a kind of fiery jagged edge, with the other was bent toward the flame and a plain sharp edge.

Both swords were laser sharpened to be able to cut through anything… even bone.

Ryo held out a sword much like his own to Orion. Maneuvered correctly, the two fit together like a puzzle to make a bigger stronger sword.

Orion glanced at the sword after he took it from Ryo, then kissed him full on the mouth. He tugged on Ryo's necklace from Arigazi.

"Keep that close to you." He whispered. Ryo hugged Orion around his neck for a long moment then started to head for the door.

Orion watched him go for a moment, then he noticed an extra weight around his neck.

He looked and saw Ryo's necklace around his throat. Orion picked it up looking at it, then glared at Ryo who waved smiling; then used his speed to leave the chateau quickly.

Sephiroth patted Orion's back.

"He'll be fine. Keep that. I'll look after him." Sephiroth ran after Ryo as fast as his legs would take him.

White Blaze nudged Orion's leg.

"Will you fight or protect Marcie?" Orion questioned the cat still holding the necklace.

White Blaze pushed Orion to the door, he himself didn't move.

"All right then, take care of them." He sighed and when he turned to the door, Zoë was there.

"Zoë?"

"You thought I was going to sit this one out, did you?" She punched his shoulder playfully.

"Of course not. I was just going to look for you." He smiled, then became serious. "Let's go. You and I shall stay together."

She nodded.

"I am ready." She twirled a machete in her left hand.

"That is your weapon?" He raised his brow. She gestured to her boots which each held two other daggers and her belt held another rapier.

"I am completely prepared, oh great leader! Fear not!" She started to head for the door, Orion by her side.

When they reached the garden, they saw Ryo and Sephiroth standing at the very edge. The Ronins and Mystic Five stood in their groups in different places around Ryo.

Orion and Zoë walked up to them and tried to see what they stared at. He came up from behind Ryo. His breath was visible in the freezing cold weather. He breathed on Ryo's neck, until he saw the forces to which Ryo stared at, then he gasped.

There were twenty angel warriors, with different weapons for each, standing out in the foggy morning.

Ryo was motionless, his body tense, and –Orion was sure- aching. He stood tall and proud, ready for battle, clutching his sword more tightly in his right hand.

Orion and Ryo looked at each other simultaneously. They each took one big sigh, their chests rising and falling, then looked back to the angel attackers and they bared their wings.

With that the battle began.

A/N: I'm sorry. I'm very terrible. This is just how I divided the chapters umpteen years ago when I wrote this. I can't change the logic I had then. –bows head- So I guess you'll have to suffer through it until next time. –smiles-


	9. What Is Worse Than Death

A/N: -gasps- Victory. Finally an update. It's really old writing though, so I hope you can follow it. I got this really _mean_ email -cough cough- Evan -cough cough- anyway, and it kind of kick started me to… -shrugs- Here's the next chapter anyway. It's all for you, Evan. -smooch-

Chapter 9

Everyone was fighting alone at first, though the Mystic Five stayed near their groups, in case others needed help. The battle was hard though, even with the Ronin's armors they were outmatched.

Fortunately, rotating quickly between each other, Ryo, Orion, and Zoë each took out their opponents easily.

Fighting as three, they had taken out three enemies, who stayed quite silent during the battle without mumbling one word.

Now there were seventeen left. Ryo went up to Sephiroth and helped him out. Zoë went up to various others and did the same.

While they did that, Orion did the math.

Everyone was fighting someone. There are seven Ronins, the Mystic Five –that makes twelve- then Ryo, Sephiroth, Zoë and himself, sixteen. Three angels had been destroyed already, leaving seventeen.

Someone wasn't fighting…

Orion saw the scoundrel just then. He was taller than the rest and much more powerful. Orion growled, baring his teeth. He flew closer to this menace. This must be the leader of them all.

"Orion." He whispered.

"You would be?" Orion snapped hatefully.

"Zeuqzav. Mada Zeuqzav." He smirked.

"Is that the long way of saying, Mad Idiot?" Orion questioned.

"Are you calling me insane?" He questioned.

"You catch on quick."

"That is the second time today I've been called insane, and I think I am beginning to resent it." Mada whispered calmly. He drew two long swords from sheaths over his shoulders and charged Orion, who blocked both strategically.

"Why are you after Ryo and myself?" He growled.

"I am not after _you_!" Mada spat. "That fledgling of yours fetches a pretty penny from countless rulers!" Mada smiled a yellow smile. His hair was green and his clothes were tattered and not well taken care of. "Not only is he strong, but he is probably really good in bed too!"

Orion was infuriated, he shoved Mada away and charged with his own attack, now fueled with anger.

"Hit a sore spot, did I?" Mada cackled. He didn't seem to be putting much effort into this. On the other hand, Orion was pushing with all his might and barely fazing the guy. "Once you're out of the way, I will take that child of yours. If _you_ can not beat me, surely he will be no problem." He licked his lips. "Maybe I'll keep him for myself for a little while."

"You underestimate me!" Orion shouted. He twisted and kicked Mada in the stomach, then tried to swipe at him.

Mada dodged it and made a quick stab at Orion. It only touched Orion enough to make a small cut on his arm. Orion summoned the rage and hidden power from within him, but this didn't seem to effect Mada one bit.

They went at it with fury fueling the fight. Shot after shot, blow after blow, and it continued.

Meanwhile, Ryo was finishing up with number seven.

_Nine more to go._ He thought, then he looked around for Orion and caught a glance ofhim fighting a ferocious monster of an angel. He wanted to go help him, but some other little punk knocked him right in the mouth.

He had to take care of these pests first.

Ryo could see Rowen was wounded out of the corner of his eye and Coji was in need of assistance. He clutched his fighting arm in pain, blood dripped to the ground mercilessly beside him. Kento was supporting Sye and they continued to fight off the angels.

Ryo groaned. He didn't know where Zoë was anymore and he had lost sight of Sephiroth as well. He desperately wanted this fight to be over. Orion was strong, but Ryo could feel he would need help defeating that bastard of an angel. His mind was set somewhat at ease when he remembered that he had wrapped the necklace around Orion's neck so he wouldn't have to worry about him whilst he fought.

Orion had laid ten blows with his sword, most of them small, but he had made one decent shot above Mada's hip. He wouldn't be able to walk for a while, but the problem was they were flying, so the wound would only cause him pain and nothing more for now.

On the other hand, Mada had also made his fair share of blows. One right next to Orion's eye. The blood seeped into it. The cut had also gotten his eye lid so he couldn't even open that eye anymore. His right arm had taken a beating and his stomach felt like he had gone on twenty roller coasters after eating a huge meal. He puked the components from his stomach and some blood, then resumed the fight.

When the enemies had dwindled down to three, Ryo wanted desperately to help Orion, but he continued fighting. His body told him to stop and rest, but he had to finish this. He knew his wounds were definitely bleeding again and his head was spinning, but now there were only four of them left to fight. Ryo was thankful the rest were alive, just too wounded to battle any longer.

His reactions started to slow and he was about to be struck by a small, speed-demon like girl when Josh sliced her into two and she fell to the ground dead.

Ryo nodded to Josh appreciatively and they continued. Two left now.

Orion felt his mind ebbing toward blackness. He desperately wished Ryo were at his side. Together they would have been able to defeat this damnable angel, but now he was just too weak and his power too depleted.

Mada caught Orion off guard and stuck his sword right through the flesh ofOrion's stomach, impaling him. Orion gasped, his eyes falling shut.

Mada pulled his sword out of Orion smiling. The angel's wings crumbled, his strength almost nonexistent. Orion fell to the hard ground, landing on his head and falling onto his back.

Mada laughed to himself hysterically. The leader had fallen with only anhour or soof difficulty. He wondered if he'd caught them all on an off day, but it didn't matter if the angel he had set out to kill was dead.

"**_NO_**!" Ryo screamed, coming up from behind Mada, who turned and countered just in time. Heat emanated off of Ryo singing Mada's skin. His teeth clenched his pain as he fought back against Ryo to once again dominate the fight.

Ryo's fury boiled to the surface and his rage took over. His face emotionless, his power surging through every vein and pounded through his aching sores. The blood flowing increased his muscles and his body strength seemed to triple against Mada's sword.

Ryo pulled away quickly and before Mada could react, Ryo sliced his head clear off, blood spattering everywhere. Ryo's hair and face were covered, but he didn't care. His only care was laying somewhere below him. He glanced down to Orion, his power still overriding his emotion.

The last two enemy angels came charging toward Ryo, infuriated by the loss of their master. He destroyed them with simple ease and grace. One he impaled then speedily withdrew his sword and cut the other angel in half, his face not even registering the loss of life. Nothing mattered like this and he didn't care who they were or what they had been in life. They all deserved to die.

Once he was positive there were no more, he landed next to Orion and stood there.

The silver-haired angelwas dwindling on the edge of life and death. His breath was scarce as Ryo stood beside him.

Zoë and everyone else came running up to Ryo ready to celebrate now that the threat was gone, but then they saw Orion.

Zoë broke into tears quickly. Sephiroth hugged her, trying to comfort her in some way. She turned and started to weep on his shirt. Most of them took Ryo's blank face as saying that Orion was dead. He looked up to them, his eyes blackened and a chill ran through their bodies. Ryo walked up to Orion and bent down.

He took the orb into his hand and closed his eyes. Transferring some of his power into the orb; he activated it.

Zoë looked on fearfully, confused about the orb and what was happening, but Sephiroth sighed with relief.

The healing started to take place, but it was insanely slow. Orion wouldn't die now.

Ryo closed his eyes -the power leaving him- and he fell flat on his back. "Oh, my…" He gasped. He didn't want to turn over and see Orion. He didn't want to think that it could be true. That Orion had been impaled and lay almost dead beside him.

"Ryo." A gentle voice was carried over the wind, but it wasn't anything alive.

Ryo sat up as fast as he could without his back screaming at him. He spun around and saw Arigazi's spirit standing there.

"Arigazi!" He cried out in surprise. The Mystic Five immediately bowed to their knees, despite their injuries.

"No need." She waved them back up and turned back to Ryo. It began to rain around her. The blood that infested Ryo's hair and covered his face began to wash away in streaks of red almost like blood tears as they streamed down his face.

"You knew this would happen?" Ryo sighed knowingly.

"You know the answer to that." She retorted.

"Why do you come to us now?" He wondered, his voice soft and gentle.

"I could not tell you what I wanted to before, but this I can tell you."

"What?" Ryo sighed exasperated.

"Orion has no memory of you right now. He took a hard knock to the head and it was all erased." She tried to keep a straight face.

Ryo didn't move. He stared up at her blankly. His eyes welled with tears, but he didn't blink as they fell. His sword dangled loosely from his hand at his side as he stared blankly at Arigazi.

Zoë rushed to his side and looked up to Arigazi angrily.

"Will he ever remember us?" She snapped.

Arigazi shook her head, understanding their hate.

"I thought it would be easier to tell you now instead of waiting for him to wake up and find out then. Ryo, I am sorry." She disappeared then and Ryo hoped forever.

Ryo wanted to wrap his arms around Zoë and cry in her breast, but he had to be strong, they were all counting on _him_ now.

He glanced behind himself at Orion's lifeless body and he made a decision.

* * *

Ryo dropped Orion off in the hotel room in the pent house they had shared before. 

He traveled down stairs and gave the lady plenty of money to last a year or so with extra so she would do anything Orion asked of her. He got the bellhop to promise to visit Orion as often as possible, tell him anything he wanted to know, no matter how odd it sounded: what year it was, where he was, when he had arrived, etc.

He told the bellhop everything he would need to know about Orion:

He was thirty-five years young, French, had no relatives, inherited a lot of money from a rich uncle who had passed, and had gotten amnesia that day before from a car crash he had been in.

The bellhop asked no questions and smiled as Ryo left. Ryo found the cab driver, Jon, who didn't say one thing about his odd clothes and accepted everything he said. Ryo told the cab driver to come by and stay near the hotel at all times with a limo, in case Orion might want a ride somewhere.

"Watch him like a hawk." Ryo ordered and gave the man plenty of gold coins to last him an eternity. The man nodded thankfully and took up a place near the corner of the hotel. Ryo bribed another doorman to not make a fuss over the cab driver that would always sit there and to help Orion in the same way the bellhop would. He gave the doorman the same information as he had the bellhop and he told him not to say a word about himself. "Don't say anything about me telling you this. Mention that he had told you before then. Don't mention me." He ordered and paid him handsomely as well.

Ryo hunted down the twins next. They questioned his outfit, but he waved the question away. He spoke to them about befriending Orion and that he had gotten amnesia. He told them the same thing as before and begged them to do this for him.

They agreed quite willingly and he left.

Returning to the chateau, he went out with Sephiroth and fetched more wood, trying to clear his head.

Reentering the chateau with more wood, Ryo headed up to Orion's room, but he couldn't bring himself to open the door. It just didn't seem right.

He hovered next to the door for a long period of time, just staring at the handle.

After standing there for about half an hour, he headed up to the North wing which was closed off, but he broke through the barricade and walked until he found a hand carved wooden door that smelled of Rosemary. He went inside, turned on the water that was piping hot and sat in the bath naked, sobbing.

He broke down and cried until he couldn't anymore, then he washed the blood from his hair and got out.

Walking through the cold halls he wished either Zoë or Orion were there so they could dry him off and dress him with the snap of their fingers.

_I've got to learn that trick from Zoë some time soon._ He grunted.

Finally entering Orion's room, he found clothes and laid on the bed in them. The window was still open. His gaze shot to the window and it snapped shut immediately. With a wave of his hand, a fire was blazing in the room.

He slithered under the blankets and slept until he felt a presence join him on the bed.

"Ryo." Yuli whispered kneeling next to Ryo, saddened.

"No, Yuli. Leave me be." Ryo grumbled.

"You don't want company? That's all I want to give." Yuli whispered completely truthful.

"Go, Yuli." Ryo growled and felt Yuli leave him quietly. He sighed with relief. The only company he wanted was Orion's warm tall body against his to quell his pains. He slipped back into a troubled sleep half an hour after that and groaned through his nightmares. Each mirrored the last. Orion dying in every way possible, or him being to late in the final battle. His head ached with a drumming pain that wouldn't leave and it only amplified the nightmares. He wanted to wake up, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

A while later Sephiroth came in, but didn't say anything. Ryo abruptly woke up hearing the door click shut. He spent half a minute realizing Orion was not there and the other half trying to compose himself for whoever stood at the door.

Sephiroth said nothing, and merely snatched a pillow from under Ryo's head –so he only had one- and he laid in front of Ryo.

Ryo stared at him for the longest time. He half wanted to scream at Sephiroth to leave him alone, but his other half wanted the cat-man beside him, if for nothing more than the warmth and security.

Sephiroth pulled the covers up more and they slept together, several feet apart, but still close.

Hours passed as the fire slowly died and finally went out completely, then it started to get cold again; they both rose.

"I have work to do." Ryo explained and got up willingly. He dressed in his normal garb with a scarf, his sword at his side and he went down to check on things.

Aftera week hadpast and it was night again, Sephiroth pulled Ryo to the side to talk.

"I want to see Orion." Sephiroth insisted. Ryo would never go to see Orion willingly, Sephiroth knew this. The man probably felt some sort of duty to stay at the chateau in case he was needed. The only way to settle Ryo's off-color attitude was to show him that Orion was well. So... he asked.

"Why?" Ryo demanded, frowning slightly.

"So I can sleep better at night." He replied, lying, but Ryo took him anyway. He himself wanted to see Orion and know that he was fine, but he knew it would be a painful experience, to see him and have him not register who they were.

They landed on the opposite building than the hotel. The curtains were opened still and they could see Orion sitting on the couch, reading from a pile of mythical books.

Sephiroth gaped at the image of Orion. Orion had cut his hair that day. He had cut it up to his head so it was layered and not even four inches off his scalp. Sephiroth's gaze shot to Ryo who was totally calm. He merely stared intently at Orion as he read.

Ryo's hands were buried in his coat pockets as he gazed at Orion. His hair wasn't tied back so it blew in the great wind with his scarf. The image was very saddening and sorrowful. It tore at Sephiroth's heart to see Ryo so... empty. He scowled, his glance stayed on Orion for a while, rifling through thoughts.

"Better check up on him." Ryo sighed exasperatedly. This day wasn't improving at all. He had hoped to feel better after seeing his mate, but the sight of Orion just out of reach only made things worse and he became more distant suddenly.

Through the alley, they headed to the ground and across the street to the hotel. Entering, Ryo was immediately greeted by the lady at the desk. He covered his sword with his cloak and calmly looked up to her. She waved to him with a huge smile on her face.

"Sir!" She laughed, her white teeth gleamed in the dim room. "How are you this evening?" She chattered cheerfully. "Can I do anything for you? _Anything_ at all?" She didn't stop smiling and it was getting on Sephiroth's nerves.

"How is he doing?" Ryo asked quietly. She lowered her voice, but was still smiling and chipper.

"_Oh_, he's just dandy! He came down this morning and asked a lot of questions, but we did just as you said. He asked to go to the library and I called the taxi you told me about. Now there's a limo sitting there, did you see it, Sir?"

"I know." With all that gold the man could surely afford a limo to cart Orion around in. Ryo nodded dully. "Anything else?"

"We sent food up for him to eat around lunch and retrieved it easily enough. He went out to get his hair cut and buy some more clothes than the ones you brought. That's about it. Is there anything else we can do for you? Anything at all? You name it, you got it!"

"No, thank you." Ryo tapped the desk as he gracefully turned to leave, still frowning. He put a hand to his back as he twisted; it hurt still.

Their garb apparently didn't bother the lady because she hadn't even stared oddly. At least she wasn't rude, but then again, you give anyone that amount of money and they will be polite to you.

"Wait!"

Ryo and Sephiroth turned around to the elevator as Orion came running up to them. Sephiroth glanced at Ryo quickly.

'_Should we run?'_ He pondered desperately. Ryo put his hand on Sephiroth's to hold him there. It would only cause more suspicion and questions if they ran or disappeared.

"Yes?" Ryo asked as politely and calmly as possible, still frowning.

Orion was so innocent looking in his black cargo pants and plain green T-shirt.

"I'm sorry, but you look familiar. I've seen you before." Orion pointed to Ryo, but caught himself and stopped.

Sephiroth could see Ryo's heart leap, but his face stayed peaceful.

"I'm sure I sound coo-coo, but I had a dream about you last night. I'd like it if you'd join me for dinner. My treat!" He insisted. Sephiroth grimaced at the way Orion spoke. '_Coo-coo? Dinner? Slang?_' It was so unlike him, but then again that was probably normal of amnesia.

"I apologize." Ryo bowed halfway. "My companion and I have business to tend to. Perhaps some other time." Ryo's voice soothed over Sephiroth bringing him back to reality. That was the way angels were supposed to speak. Ryo turned to leave, but Orion jumped in front of them.

"No!" He shouted, then caught himself. "Please. I'm begging you. Just stay for dinner! I ain't askin' you to marry me!" He laughed and slinked his body in a very seductive way. "Please, just stay for one dinner. I've got the pent house and I _only_ want to talk."

Ryo sighed, then nodded. They made it to the elevator. Ryo nodded to the clerk and she ordered a huge supper for them quickly.

Inside the elevator, Sephiroth stayed as close to Ryo as he could without actually standing on him.

"I know this seems very weird to you…" Orion started.

"Yes." Sephiroth growled, not meaning to sound snotty.

"What is your name?" Ryo asked coolly. Orion snapped to attention realizing they didn't even know his name.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Orion." He smiled.

"I am Ryo." He whispered. "And this is Sephiroth."

Sephiroth wondered if distributing this information was alright, but Ryo's eyes held no fear or worry, only harmony.

"I know." Orion sighed smiling, and now blushing. "From my dream." He answered their question.

"_Detailed_, was it not?" Sephiroth snapped. This form of Orion was rather... annoying? Irksome?

They reached the floor and got off the elevator, following Orion to the door. He used a key and invited them in. Orion looked most beautiful with his new hair cut, but it didn't suit him. After all those years of seeing him with long hair, short hair just didn't look right.

They sat in comfortable arm chairs and stared at each other. Ryo stayed the picture of patience. Sephiroth's gaze remained calm like Ryo's though he found it difficult. Orion, however, was fidgety and couldn't seem to keep his hands still.

The supper arrived and Orion stood to greet the Room Service man. The elderly man accepted his tip and left with a smile.

Orion silently brought in the food with a smile on his face, hoping the offering would make his company more willing to stay and talk. He took the plates off the cart and distributed them over the large glass table separating all of them.

It was mainly a swordfish supper with two steaks and several different sides of potatoes, corn, fruit, and a variety of different breads, then a selection of several different drinks of soda that Orion had apparently expressed an interest in.

Sephiroth helped himself to one of the steaks and one of every side order, including breads; seeing no point in wasting the free food and hospitality even if he wasn't entirely comfortable. Ryo smiled warmly at him. Even in the darkest of moments, food always seemed to cheer up his friend.

After the food was laid out, Orion sat down and began picking out a few things for himself as he spoke.

Ryo stared at Orion as he spoke of the dream which entailed some intimate kisses between himself and Ryo, then skipping to the battle where he died. Sephiroth couldn't help but think that if he had had such a dream about a person he didn't know and then he saw that person, he definitely would not go up to them and invite them to his rooms for supper. That was one thing that had yet to change about Orion. He was courageous even when he wasn't up to par. Orion finished his account of his dream and waited for his guests to speak.

"Assuming you are taking this as if it has happened –which I am only doing because you called us up to your rooms on such allegations- then if you died, how could you be here now?" Ryo asked insightfully. He popped a green grape into his mouth. It had been the first thing he'd eaten. Concealing his sword had been his first thought, then he just leaned back relaxing. He took a sip from a bottle of water and placed it on the table beside himself.

'_Ryo is wonderful.'_ Sephiroth mused. _'Thinking of everything that would seem obvious to any person looking from the outside in on this situation.'_

"I dunno." Orion stated simply. "Amnesia –as I've been told several times- claimed my memory and I lost it in a car crash."

"And the thought that all these images could just be a mix of your imagination and the knock to your head, had not arisen as an idea at all, to you?" Ryo questioned intelligently. He gestured to the mythical books piled on a table in front of them. "Perhaps the books have something to do with your dreams."

"Ya, I thought of that, then I saw you." Orion raised his hand in gesture to Ryo, then entwined his fingers loosely together and laid them in his lap to keep them from moving.

"Look, Orion," Ryo stood up quickly, "You have not met me until tonight. You do not know anything about me. I haven't the faintest idea what your problem is, and I am not sure I care to know. We are very busy and now we have a costume party to get off to, so if you will excuse us, we are quite late."

Sephiroth wiped his mouth on a napkin after one more bite of steak and stood quickly, lowering the plate he'd been eating from back to the table and taking one last gulp of soda.

Ryo glared at him frowning, but Sephiroth knew he was smirking on the inside. 'Do you not eat enough at the chateau?' He wondered, his gaze leveling with Sephiroth's. The man blushed lightly under Ryo's stern eyes. They had become less and less playful over the last week and he enjoyed all their jokative jousts whenever they occurred.

"Costume party?" Orion jumped to his feet and stood in front of Ryo, obstructing his path. "Those clothes look genuine, not fake or copy-off."

"Thanks." Ryo smiled and aimed around him for the door. Orion was a descent size taller than Ryo, but he didn't let that affect him.

Orion tried to block Ryo again and Ryo snapped. His fuse had become shorter and shorter all day and this frustrating closeness he could no nothing about was worsening that.

Ryo turned around to Orion quickly, grabbing his shirt in both hands and lifting him off the floor momentarily in rage, but he gently put Orion back down as the moment passed and the man let them pass, quite flustered now; his hand rubbing his collarbone.

"Thanks for having us!" Sephiroth smiled cheerfully as they left.

Orion was quite afraid at the moment as he watched them go. The door shut gently behind them and he watched it for a while longer, half fearful that they would come back, but really, he was hopeful for that very thing.

He picked up some money and headed for the elevator after they had had a decent enough amount of time to leave the hotel.

* * *

One week later, Zoë snuck out of Ryo's sights on an outing. She didn't say where she was going and Ryo didn't press the situation. 

He was loose with her. She did what she wanted and he only interfered if she wasn't doing her job right.

Zoë flew into the city and visited the hotel where Orion was staying. He wasn't there at the moment, so she decided to wait in his room and thanked the clerk for the information.

When he finally entered it took him forever to realize she was there, sitting in a slightly darker corner.

He was so uptight, that when he noticed her he threw his keys across the room as he turned, startled by her voice greeting him.

"Who are you!" He asked frightened.

"My! You _are_ jittery." She laughed softly.

"Who are you?" He snapped.

"A friend." She replied and motioned for him to sit. "Please." She continued to smile. "I don't bite." She chuckled at her own joke.

Orion sat and stared at her for the longest time, then pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He took a drag on it and blew out, now shaking nervously again.

He closed his eyes trying to calm down, but he jumped when he realized she was right in front of him, still smiling. He hadn't heard her move from the chair at all. She took the cigarette from him and put it out in her hand, closing her fingers around it, then she opened her hand and it was gone. She almost appeared to be doing a magic trick for a child or something close to it.

She snapped her fingers and a bird appeared, a red cardinal. It flew out the open window, she had come in from after speaking to the clerk.

Orion was amazed. He reached for another cigarette to start smoking; his nerves were shot. Zoë took the pack and threw it out the window without glancing once at her target. It flew right through the frame easily and shattered into a zillion pieces of shiny dust upon touching the light of day.

He gasped, looking up to her, his eyes filled with fear. He tried to get up and she pushed him back down gently.

"Do not even think about trying to dash for the door. I am much quicker than you are right now." She laughed. She sounded like a robber out of one of those old movies.

"What do you want?"

'_The classic next line.'_ She chuckled.

"I want you to listen to me and believe me. You remember that fellow you saw in the lobby a week ago, right? The handsome one you invited up here."

He nodded slowly, shocked that she knew and half expecting her to pull a gun on him.

"Well, he just happens to be my best friend. I love him dearly and I hate seeing him in so much pain."

"Is he hurt?" Orion asked carefully. He was worried, but he didn't know what this girl would do, so he was cautious.

"His heart hurts. He misses you." She smiled down on him as she paced in front of him.

"How can he miss me? He only met me a week ago." Orion frowned disbelievingly.

"No, actually, he met you about four years ago, now." She paused caught up in nostalgia. "Wow, four years." She shook her head and continued to pace.

"He didn't say anything about remembering me. He specifically said that he didn't know me." Orion tried to stand, but Zoë took a step near him and he sat immediately.

"_No_, he said that _you_ had never met _him._ You can not remember him so how could you remember meeting him, you have amnesia. Second thing, you are not thirty-five years old. I met you forty some-odd years ago. How could you be thirty-five?"

"You don't look forty anything!" He snapped and regretted it, but Zoë merely smiled down on him.

"That is so sweet, but I am about fifty-two right now."

"How old am I, then?" He seemed to be accepting it well enough.

"Somewhere around two thousand." She answered nonchalantly, gesturing her hand to the side carelessly.

"Oh." Orion nodded as if he should have known that. "So, I'm _immortal_?" He scowled.

"Yes." She nodded. "Now you are catching on."

"Then what's wrong with the cigarettes?"

"You do not smoke." She added.

"It shouldn't make a difference though, right?" He raised his brow.

"I suppose, but I never had to worry about it. No angel has ever smoked before."

"Angel?" He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Yes." She nodded. She stared at him for a long moment, then walked over to him and played with his hair sorrow-filled. The action startled him. "How could you cut it off?"

Orion was pretty much convinced she wasn't half-baked by now.

"I'm sorry."

"Do not be sorry. I just… wish you had not." She sighed disappointedly, standing up straight and pacing again. "I want to take you with me to the chateau with the other angels, where we live, but I am fearful it might overwhelm you." She began to speak her thoughts aloud.

"I'd like to know what my memories actually are. Please, take me."

She paused biting her thumbnailworriedly.

"Is there something I should worry about?" He wondered skeptically.

"I do not think Ryo will be too thrilled over it." She sat down again, then stood quickly.

"Why does it matter what he thinks?"

"You two…" She didn't finish her comment. "He is ruler now and pretty much commands everyone else. I went against his wishes coming here. I am only second in command and really, I am not even supposed to be here, but I am. He will bare me some ill will, but I must overcome it. When we go there… just do not get him angry. You will learn a lot of things and memories might just come shooting back to you, so tell me if you are confused. You can always trust me."

He nodded.

"Let us go now." She insisted, mostly talking to herself and she bared her wings.

Ogling at her wings, made many memories come back to Orion. He gasped holding his head and seeing thousands of images of angels flying, others dead, others wounded, and then a fleeting image of Ryo flying through the skies carefree, then nothing. Each image was accompanied by a feeling. The dead angels brought hurt and pain to his heart, but the image of Ryo flying freely in the baby-blue sky caused him to float slightly withcontent and happiness. He felt at peace seeing the angel in his mind and he tried to hold onto the image with every fiber of his being.

He tried to understand the images as they traveled to the chateau, him on her back between her wings.

Zoë gave him a cloak to wear so no one would know it was him yet and it felt slightly familiar, but he ignored that and tried to bring up the image of Ryo again.

As the chateau came into sight, Orion felt quite nervous. He couldn't explain why, but he had butterflies in his stomach.

There _he_ was suddenly. So beautiful.

Ryo seemed to be in a rush to get to another part of the chateau from the garden, his wings visible and shining beautifully. His wounds had healed almost completely. He was in midair when he saw Zoë and did a double-take.

He landed, waving her down toward him. She came hesitantly over to his side, ready for his wrath to begin.

"Zoë." He looked distressed as she placed Orion next to her –his face covered by the hood- but he was only looking at Zoë. "I was starting to worry." He hugged her.

"I am sorry." She kissed his neck, and rubbed his cold arms gently between both of hers.

Orion couldn't stop staring at Ryo's sword, which was perfectly visible. It dangled at his left side. Meaning Ryo must beright handed -Orion realized.

All the snow was finally starting to melt, but it was quite chilly still.

"Where did you go?" Ryo asked, then he realized the man next to him staring at his sword. Ryo gracefully threw the man's hood back, rudely. One _should_ wait for the owner of any hood to show themselves, but Ryo felt fairly dominant here, and deemed his own curiosity more important at the moment.

Orion gasped looking up fearfully into his eyes.

Ryo folded his wings close to himself and sighed, rubbing his forehead with frustration.

"_Zoë_!" He growled, annoyed.

"Ryo, I think you were wrong to put Orion with mortals! He will not fit with them; he will never be happy! I could not let it go on!"

"Zoë!" He repeated.

"He is your lover! I know it must hurt you more than it hurts me to be away from him, but you still did it thinking it was the right thing…!"

"Zoë!" Ryo glanced at Orion –who was hindered on Zoë's words- then Zoë again.

"I actually think that Arigazi is testing us!" Zoë snapped, clenching her fists, closing her eyes, and waiting for Ryo to hit her in contempt.

"Zoë." He whispered calmly picking up her chin. He embraced her. "You are so smart."

"You already _knew_!" She gasped, startled -referring to Arigazi.

"No. I had an inkling of an idea. The Ancients would have told us about all this destruction if it had been a real group of renegades trying to kill us off, of their own device. I believe that this started as a test from Arigazi of our skills, when she put the leaders together. She probably originally only concerted for them to attack us full on and for us to destroy them and get rid of the resistance, but the leaders made their own plan; it was sneaky, and we were nowhere close to ready for it, and we lost all those we loved. I blame her completely, but she did try to help, and she is the only reason Orion is still alive. Do not hate her; hate what she did. We will fix everything, do not worry."

"And about Orion?" She asked, still holding Ryo, but looking at Orion.

"Orion may stay, of course. I was going to wait until after I had solved these problems and sorted out Arigazi, before I would go to get him, but now that he is here, oh well." Ryo kissed Zoë's forehead. "I have much to do."

"Go off and do it then." She patted his bare muscular arm. "I will look after Orion and tell him what he does not know." She smiled.

"Take him around the chateau. Show him things, to help jog his memory. This amnesia thing is also Arigazi's doing." He was perfectly calm and content. "Take him back to his room and talk to him."

"Good idea!" Zoë laughed like a child. "You are so cunning." She kissed his cheek and pulled Orion into the garden.

Ryo flew off with one moresorrowfullook up into Orion's eyes.

"He's beautiful." Orion sighed, then remembered Zoë was there. "We're lovers?" He asked her quickly.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Him and I?"

"Yes." She nodded again, patiently.

"Wow!" He sighed watching Ryo fly gracefully around the corner.

"He is something, is he not?" She continued to walk and Orion caught up with her, not wanting to get lost.

"You can say that again. How old is he?"

"Twenty-three. He just recently had a birthday."

Orion looked weirded out.

"Wait, I'm two thousand, and I'm dating a man more thannineteen hundredyears _younger_ than I am?"

She nodded.

"Alright," he accepted this, "if he is mine then why do you kiss him so much?" Orion wasn't trying to be pompous, only asking.

"It is a custom of ours. You kiss the forehead of an angel to give them good luck. 'The kiss of an angel onto you is the best luck' my grandfather used to say. Ryo and I are quite close, as I had said before."

Orion bobbed his head up and down as he thought of more questions.

"What were you talking about before with the other angels, and that person; Arigazi, was it?"

"Oh." Zoë closed her eyes and hooked her arm into Orion's, because she was too short to cover his shoulders with her arm. "This is a long story, but it will tell you much and needs to be told." She laughed. "I sound like my grandfather." She smiled, then became serious again.

They strolled into the Hall and walked over to the oak benches to sit and talk. Orion picked a random seat near the end of the table and Zoë sat across from him without a word about where he was sitting. Orion leaned intently on the table, his head resting in his hand as he stared at Zoë, waiting for her to explain something.

Zoë started to recall the events of the last month and told Orion the entire story, from when Ryo came to the chateau with Yuli during that storm, to the point when the vampires attacked.

She called Marcie to her then and introduced Orion to Marcie, which was quite odd to Marcie, but she complied.

Marcie kissed Orion's head and he blushed. The lady left to tell others thatOrion was back and that he still had amnesia. Orion was curious of the lady's exuberantly cheerful attitude. He remembered what Zoë had said about kissing an angel's forehead though and assumed it was normal for people to do that to him.

Zoë sat down with a glass of wine to clear her throat and started the story again.

Explaining everything Ryo had told her of his experience with the vampires, and what Sephiroth and Orion had told her before. She went on to talk about the Hunters and the half-cats, then the angels that had attacked him before.

Some of the details Zoë had gone into had brought back a lot of flashes of memories from those times. He remembered Sephiroth from when he had visited him before, but now he remembered everything else about him as well. His long golden locks, his dark brown eyes, so deep they were like pools of honey.

As they walked through the chateau, going through even the closed off areas, Zoë explained about the race Ryo had had with Goldeye. She had giggled through the whole thing. After that she told Orion everything she had learned from others about Arigazi, then everything she knew as well.

By the time they reached Orion's room and entered, Orion already had a picture of Arigazi in his mind. He was angry over what he heard that she had done.

Orion sat on his bed, closing his eyes and the memory of hot flesh against his, came into his mind. He blushed as he heard wings flap close to him.

He opened his eyes to see Ryo crouching like a gargoyle statue on the window ledge, his wings spread up toward the heavens. He jumped into the room tiredly rubbing his back, as his wings blew away with the wind.

Ryo concentrated, his hand glowed red for a moment, then he snapped his fingers and that went away, but a fire jumped out of nowhere to be blazing in the fireplace. Orion was startled back to reality from his hazy romantic memory. He watched Ryo toss an extra log on the fire, letting the roaring flame caress his hand.

Orion jumped up and snatched his hand away from the fire, looking it over and over for burn marks, but there were none, not even a black mark. He looked into Ryo's eyes sheepishly, but Ryo was the picture of patients, and beauty, waiting for him to release his hand.

Ryo caressed Orion's cheek with the newly warmed hand, then caught himself and walked over to an armchair, sitting gently. Orion had heard such wonderful things about Ryo and his kindness from Zoë. The memories that had come back to him, made him want to kiss the angel all over.

He sat in Ryo's lap, and tried to kiss him, but Ryo lifted him up, using his speed and placed him back in the chair.

"Zoë!" He bellowed calmly rubbing his back. He realized she was gone and growled deep in his throat, annoyed. "Damn it, she vexes me."

Orion slithered his powerful arms around Ryo's waist. Ryo broke away from him and looked him in the eye dangerously.

"What's wrong? Don't you love me?" Orion asked, not ready to give up yet.

"Of course I do!" Ryo snapped fiercely. "Never doubt that!" He paused and stepped closer to Orion, his hand up and wanting to caress Orion's cheek. "I want you, but not until your memory has returned completely. I want all of you, not half of you."

Orion nodded, understanding completely. What Ryo meant was he wanted Orion when he remembered his feelings for Ryo fully and not just what others had told him.

He moved his hand softly over Orion's shirt and up his bare neck to the back of his head. Orion realized he was feeling where the hair had been cut off.

"I'm sorry." He assured hastily. "If I had known, I wouldn't…"

Ryo covered his mouth with his lips, then pulled away quickly.

"No, it is all right." Ryo shook his head.

Orion lifted his hands to the back of Ryo's head, running his fingers through Ryo's long silky smooth hair. The sun shined through the open window, illuminating the silver in Ryo's hair. Orion leaned forward to kiss Ryo, but he turned quickly leaving the room. When he was at the door he turned back to Orion.

"Do you know your way around the chateau already, or are you coming?"

Orion quickly came up behind him and followed him as best he could.

"I have wings, right?" He wondered.

Ryo laughed nodding his head.

_What a stupid question to ask?_ Orion thought to himself, but Ryo heard the thought.

"Will you teach me how to fly," he paused, "again?"

"We will get your memory back soon enough, but if you absolutely can not wait… ask Zoë."

Orion was disappointed, he wanted Ryo to teach him and get close to him… to catch him if he fell. He stayed silent, instead.

Ryo guided Orion down to the ball room, now being used as a mess hall. Many people were taking a break to sit down and eat something, even most of the servants.

When they saw Orion they got into a huge uproar. A lot of them got up and started to head toward him. Ryo wrapped an arm around Orion, and the other covered Orion's eyes. He moved them across the floor at lightning quick speed.

They all stopped when they heard Ryo's demandingly loud voice from the opposite side of the room.

"Sit!" He shouted and everyone sat down immediately. Orion was stunned by Ryo's rage and control over all those people. "Your questions will be answered in _time_! Not now though, because I have not got enough of the _stuff _(time) to give you! Sit, eat, rest, do whatever you are supposed to, but if I hear one thing about _anyone_ questioning Orion, I will have your heads _cut off_!" He said this loud and clear.

You could have heard a feather hit the floor it was so quiet.

"Zoë!" Ryo yelled and she came to his side right away. He released Orion and looked down on her irked.

"Yes?" She questioned innocently. He sighed, giving up.

"Take care of him." Ryo gently pushed Orion up to her. He turned around to Ryo quickly.

"Where are you going?" He wondered, his voice gentle and somewhat afraid from Ryo's tone.

"I am going to pay a visit to Arigazi." He answered and summoned his wings forth from inside of himself. Pulling his gloves on tighter and lifting up his scarf to cover his mouth, he looked at Zoë sideways.

Memories rushed to Orion from the morning Ryo had come stumbling into this very room, through this same door, in that same garb.

Orion quickly grabbed Ryo and held him, sticking his face into Ryo's scarf and breathing in his smell.

"Please." Ryo sighed, talking to Zoë. "Take him from me."

"Before." Orion muttered.

"Before?" Ryo replied patiently.

"You said that same thing to me before, when you had that boy with you." Orion held him tighter. "You were so cold." He gasped. "Another storm is coming! Don't go!" He cried out. With his memory gone, it seemed like Orion had been reduced to a teenager or a child. It was unbefitting of a man of his stature and it made Ryo think of him as a child at the moment. He didn't have time to deal with this right now.

"Zoë." Ryo sighed and she quickly grabbed a hold of Orion. He was reluctantly pulled away from Ryo. Zoë had great strength though she rarely showed it.

"No!" He cried out reaching for Ryo.

Ryo turned with one last glance to Orion and left.

"Zoë!" Orion cried again. "You can't let him go. It's another storm! Get him quick!" He begged.

"Do you not feel it?" Zoë asked him.

He stared at her oddly.

"He is long gone, Orion. Ryo is much faster than any of us, not you of course, but even if I tried, I would not be able to catch up to him now."

"But the storm…" He pleaded weakly.

"I know." She sighed. "The skies have foretold for days of a storm. This season has been particularly harsh on us with many more snow storms than usual. At least this time, it is only rain." She smiled.

"He hates water though!" Orion whimpered like a child and Zoë turned his face to hers.

"What is your favorite thing to eat?" She asked, testing him to see if he had his memory back.

"Fast food?" He answered. She groaned in disappointment.

"Maybe we should talk some more. I am sure you have questions."

"What is my favorite thing to eat?" He heard Zoë laugh, but it was so soft, it sounded like a bell.


	10. Does Amnesia Go With Eggs?

A/N: I haven't updated in practically forever, but someone wrote me a review, so I've decided to pull out another chapter from my cob-webbed folder. This is very old for me, and it's far too long for me to rewrite since I'm going to college, so I'm just posting it and looking it over. Sorry for errors and whatnot. And thanks to my lovely reviewer!

Chapter 10

"What are you saying?" Arigazi hissed. "This is all _my_ fault?"

"In the perfect sense, yes. You set up that whole renegade outbreak. I know you did because you have a lot of coverage over the other Ancients. This is your jurisdiction. If the other Ancients had foreseen any such catastrophe of this magnitude caused by such an individual, they would have expressed their worries to us, but you told them not to say a word about the test. It then went wrong and you forced them to stay silent. Your predictions could not have comprehended any such calamity. You did not know what was going to happen until we got rid of all the renegades following up to the angels. That is when you gave me the orb from all the Ancients to me. You knew Orion would be furious with you, so you gave it to me with that lame excuse."

"You are only angry because his memory is lost." She frowned down on him.

"What are you talking about? I am pissed off because you let all this happen! It is all your fault and I want you to fix it, Arigazi. You have responsibilities to uphold. If you do not like the angels and you just want us all dead, then do not pretend to be our ally and show your true colors!"

She slapped him hard across the face, but he showed no sign of feeling it. His cheek turned pink as he still scowled at her.

"You know it is the truth, Arigazi." He glared at her hatefully and flew off from the abandoned village quickly.

Her temper raged and she called for the storm to come in no; hard, fast, and cold.

"Where _is_ he?" Orion asked, nervously. His heart was racing. The storm had come in quickly and had changed to sleet and rain. Ryo had been gone for twenty minutes since the storm began.

Zoë sat next to him, quite nervous herself.

"He will be here. Do not worry." Her attitude of fake calm tinged with fear didn't make Orion feel any better.

Marcie stood across from them with a blanket in hand for Ryo when he returned, hopefully safe.

Zoë and Marcie perked up quickly, leaping toward the door when they heard the graceful stride of footsteps on water.

Orion ran after them, his fear turned into relief, when Ryo walked in the door looking like a wet rat. He was drenched, with a few bruises on his wings and arms from the sleet. He was dripping terribly, making a huge puddle on the floor from just standing there, but he was alright.

"Ryo! You are a mess!" Zoë shouted, happy that he was there.

Ryo stood there, still with his wings. He smiled and twirled around quickly. Water splattered everywhere as he spun nearly six times consecutively, soaking Zoë, Marcie, Orion, and now Chandria who came running up to him and hugged him.

"Lord!" Chandria laughed. "Thank the Ancients you are alright!" She squeaked.

"Not all of them." He muttered so she couldn't hear, but Zoë did.

"It was _her_." She growled and Ryo nodded.

"Yes, it was I!" Arigazi announced from the center of the room, standing on the dining table. "You were quite rude in your words, Angel, and too harsh!"

"I think I was perfectly correct and honest." Ryo stated loudly, scowling.

"Do not ever think you can talk to me like that and get away with it. You deserved that little shower. Perhaps it has cleared your head?"

"Shower!" Zoë snapped. "That is a typhoon!"

"Quiet!" Arigazi ordered. "Remember your place! Just because your superior stands up to me, does not give you the right to do the same!" Zoë hushed herself, but glared at Arigazi, quite pissed off.

"Let me tell you something else!" Ryo shouted. "You may be able to talk to your inferiors like that, but not these immortals any longer! My angels are mine to discipline, not yours!"

"You need to be taught manners!" Arigazi spat jumping off the table and coming up to him.

Ryo drew his sword, also bathed in dragons' blood, and postured himself -his profile to her.

"Will you be the one to teach me?" He paused as she stopped in front of him. "Maybe when you were alive, Arigazi, but not now! I have jurisdiction over all you see before you!" Orion felt a shiver of pride and lust shoot up his spine watching Ryo be so dominant and commanding. He was gorgeous when he got like this.

"It is for you and Orion to rule together, but he is not capable of it, so the next strongest must step up. Even as a ghost, I am still stronger than any angel you can pit against me!"

Ryo tried to slash at her, moving her backwards. She gaped at him, furiously.

"How _dare_ you?" She shrieked and tried to attack him. He cut her arm, jumping backward. No blood came, but the mark was imprinted there.

"Allow me to enlighten you! Fix this mess, or prepare for battle because that is the only other option open to you now! I am not to be taken lightly! Be forewarned, you will make an enemy of me if this continues!"

"I have fair rule over what you have, Ryo." She said calmly. By now, they had drawn a crowd of everyone else that lived in the chateau.

"Until, I battle you for power and win!" Ryo scowled looking at her, dead-serious. "The only other I will share total power with is Orion!"

"But his memory is gone! And you brought him back here; you are foolish!" She retorted.

"You caused that memory lapse! It is you who wish to rule with me, perhaps a last dying hope that you could continue to rule the Skies even after death, but it will not be. You have died, Arigazi, it is our turn to rule! Do not play and tempt Fate! She has a nasty habit of biting back, with vengeance for stupidity!"

Arigazi stared at Ryo for the longest time without blinking or moving. Ryo scowled back, not so much as a sigh left his mouth.

Orion had been gaping the whole time. His mouth wide open. Ryo was so forceful and defensive. He was an awesome leader. More memories came to Orion of the first time they had met and how Ryo had saved his life selflessly.

Zoë was smirking, her fist clenched. She silently cheered Ryo on. He was fantastic. She had never seen this dominating side to him before.

"Do you declare war on me?" Arigazi asked, calm again.

"I will make that declaration, but if you return Orion's memory to him, then all will be forgiven, no harm, no foul." Ryo glanced to Orion, then Arigazi again. "We have never warred with you for any reason, over anything. We have always been loyal. This can be looked over, Arigazi. Return his memory to him."

"I will, on one condition." She held up one finger. Ryo sheathed his sword with a snap.

"That is…?" He asked.

"I want a dragon's egg." She replied.

"It is illegal to hunt dragons any longer." He sneered dryly.

"I only want the egg. The egg of a White Atlantis Dragon."

Ryo didn't look pleased.

"From Antarctica?" He queried.

She nodded. Ryo glanced over to Orion, he was looking at Ryo quite afraid.

"All right." Ryo closed his eyes, then he opened them quickly. "Do it now."

She looked shocked.

"Return his memory now. I want him to be in rule while I am gone. I will head out for it tomorrow." He stood up taller, and snapped his fingers; he was dry instantly.

Zoë had taught him that trick over the week Orion had been away.

Arigazi looked at Orion, then walked over to him. He recoiled slightly, then glanced at Ryo for guidance. The balck-haired man nodded slowly to show him her approach was alright.

Orion stood still while Arigazi put one hand on either side of his head and closed her eyes.

Everything came back to him in an instant and he had a headache, but he knew everything that was going on and he glared at Arigazi hatefully after he recovered.

"Leave!" He barked sharply.

"I am holding you to your word!" Arigazi yelled for the whole room to hear and disappeared.

Ryo sighed, leaning against the nearest column, quite exasperated. It was dark out now, as the sleet stopped coming down, though it still rained. Ryo felt the bruises more fully on his body as he banished his wings.

Orion came in front of him slowly, waiting for him to look up.

"Orion?" Ryo sighed, in a heavenly soft voice, as if his name were a prayer.

"My love." Orion whispered. "You were so brave and wonderful." They embraced and a single tear fell down Orion's cheek. "You should not have been made to go through that."

Ryo held him tightly.

"It was worth it to have you back." Ryo stated and kissed him. He fell into Orion's grasp immediately –something he had wanted to do for a while. Orion searched through Ryo's open mind finding everything that had happened to him in their time apart.

"You took a bath without me." Orion whispered into Ryo's ear, for him alone to hear.

"I wish you had been there." Ryo replied and kissed his neck.

Chandria came up to Orion and tugged on his baggy blue jeans.

"Master! Do you have your memory back?" She smiled, hopefully.

"Yes." He nodded and messed up her hair with his right hand. He pressed Ryo closer to him, using his left.

Ryo gasped in his ear, so no one could hear him aside from Orion.

"No, Orion!" He squeezed Orion's left arm as he was released. Orion glared at Ryo worriedly. "Chandria, how about you go get that surprise you made for Orion?"

Chandria perked up immediately and ran for her room, to get the present.

Orion tried to caress Ryo's cheek with his left hand and saw traces of silver blood on it. Their eyes met, but they both stayed silent. Ryo looked at Orion knowingly.

'What happened?' Orion asked.

'The wounds on my back still have yet to totally heal. There was some kind of potion on the whips we were hit with. It is making it harder for my body to heal me.'

Orion kissed his forehead as Marcie walked up to him.

"Master." She bowed. "Lord, has made sure we have wood, and plenty of food. No problems have arisen needing to be reported. Also, traveling warriors have come to settle here."

"Traveling warriors?" Orion repeated.

"Yes." Ryo answered, his voice a bit raspy. "Half a dozen warriors. Their home was destroyed. It was in the way of those Hunters. They came here for refuge, hoping they could stay permanently. I checked up on them and agreed."

"Where are they?"

"They are on duty, in the lookout towers, taking patrol shifts." Ryo glanced around. "Three of them should be around here somewhere if you want to meet them."

"That is fine. I am sure I will meet them soon." Orion smiled and took his hand. "I trust your judgment."

Ryo smiled.

"Are you hungry, Lord?" Marcie wondered.

Orion turned to Ryo who shook his head.

"No, thank you." He smiled.

"Yes, thank you." Orion corrected. Ryo glared at him grumpily. "You will eat by your own will," Orion smiled as he led Ryo to the table. He whispered in his ear, "or I will feed you." Orion kissed his pouting face. "I have yearned for you so much."

"You have not had to go through the days like I have, alone. To you it was only that we separated to fight, then your mind woke up to see me standing in front of you just now, arguing with Arigazi."

"It was still an eternity for my mind to sleep, without knowledge of you."

Ryo laughed and sat in his proper place to Orion's right.

Zoë kissed his cheek, then kissed Ryo full on the mouth.

"You were wonderful! I have never seen you so brutally honest and protective. That took a lot of guts. I admire you, Ryo." Her smile brightened the room as she sat in front of Ryo, on Orion's left.

Chandria ran up to Orion, holding up a portrait on a canvas.

Orion gaped at its beauty. It was a painting of Ryo, Orion, and Zoë. Ryo was sitting on the fountain in the picture, with Zoë sitting on the floor in front of him, resting her hand on Ryo's thigh and her back resting against Orion's leg, who was standing beside her seated self.

"It is a work of art!" He smiled appreciatively. "Chandria, you paint like a master! Michaelanglo, could not rival your painting's beauty!"

She blushed deeply. "It is for you, Master! A gift; please accept!" She bowed, still holding out the painting for him to see.

Orion took it with one hand and held it closer to himself to look at the details. He ogled the painting for a while longer, while Chandria stood beside him blushing.

"I will hang it in our room, above the fireplace, so that I can always have my eyes on it." Orion looked down onto Chandria. All of her face was red. He smiled. "Thank you." He sighed and she ran off to the kitchen, her face apple red, to see if their food was ready.

"I am not hungry." Ryo insisted. Orion shook his head placing the painting against the table under the cloth.

"Nonsense, of course you are. You have just yet to realize it." Orion laughed. Sephiroth came dashing up to Ryo next, squeezing his shoulder tightly.

"You were grand!" He exclaimed. "Are you alright from the sleet and rain?" He sat next to Ryo.

"Yes, only a few bruises." He replied. The Mystic Five soon came to sit around them as well.

"So dominant!" Centauri complimented, with others from further down the table concurring.

"She was scared out of her wit, that's why she snapped at you, Zoë!" Coji pet her hand and she nodded.

"Her bark is worse than her bite." Sky Racer added smiling.

"I'm not sure which is worse for you though, Lord!" Daemon joked.

"She was threatening you all." Ryo replied. "As long as I have breath left in me I will not let any harm come to any of you." They all stayed silent as Ryo glanced at Sephiroth, then Orion. They both knew exactly what Ryo spoke about.

"You are so passionate about what you speak of." Coro added, gently. "I admire that in you."

"Thank you." Ryo nodded toward him. "I must ask you something." The table grew silent around Ryo. "Would you want Arigazi as your ruler instead of us?" Ryo's gaze didn't falter. He wanted an honest answer.

The Mystic Five looked at each other, then Ryo within seconds.

"No!" They all answered together.

"No offense to her, she was a strong ruler, but not as humane and compassionate as you two are." Sky leaned more onto the table. "I would follow either of you to the end of the world, even if we were facing unfathomable odds. My faith in you will never waver."

Ryo nodded appreciatively.

"You are strong in your orders." Coji continued, looking at Orion. "Yet you are still lenient and gentle. I feel safer when I am near you both than I ever felt around Arigazi."

"All leaders should rule the way you do. If they did, then there would be no wars ever." Daemon agreed.

"Thank you." Ryo sighed. "That daunting doubt has been lingering in my mind _far_ too long."

"Never worry." Coro looked so determined.

"We will always follow you and that I swear to you, on my honor!" Centauri snapped.

Ryo smiled, a tear streamed down his cheek and Orion brushed it away.

"Now I know how you feel, in your role." Ryo sighed, talking to Orion.

"No, I have always had you to help me, in the past, the full burden of leadership was never on me." Orion corrected. "This time, it was all you. Ryo, you were wonderful. I could not have done better myself."

"You lie." Ryo laughed. "You had to do this same thing for all the years before I had met you."

"I never had so many people to worry about." Orion leaned back slyly. "You remember when we started. We had maybe, twenty others and us. We grew tremendously as we traveled –you with us- then that episode with Sparticus. The Mystic Five rejoined us and the connections all the other captives had were carried to us. We settled here and continued to grow. It was all because of you."

Ryo shook his head as the food came near. "Not me." He answered. "Us."

The food was distributed and everyone ate and talked about the events of that night. Ryo was the topic of most conversation and Orion was the topic of everything else.

After most of the supper had been eaten, Orion realized something.

"Where are your Ronin friends?" He asked turning to Ryo, who had been talking to Sephiroth up until then.

Sephiroth glared at Orion, for interrupting, but he leaned away from Ryo and waited patiently.

"They have left for a while. There were things they needed to take care of." Ryo answered, then turned back to Sephiroth.

"And the tiger?" Orion continued.

"What tiger?" Sarion questioned as he walked up from behind Ryo, petting his hair.

"Where have you been?" Orion asked calmly.

"Showing the rookies how to take watch properly." Sarion replied. "I heard the argument from out there, are you alright?" He wondered. Ryo nodded.

"He can be quite handy sometimes." Ryo laughed patting Sarion's hand as he placed it on Ryo's shoulder.

"Anything else?" Sarion wondered leaning closer to Ryo's ear.

"Yes, sit down and rest. You have done so much for me and I appreciate it greatly." Ryo ordered, smirking.

"Thank you, Mon Capitan, but I think I will take a page out of your book and skip this meal. I believe, I will retire for the night. Good evening gentlemen." Sarion squeezed Ryo's shoulder and left gracefully to the West wing and his own room.

"It is so wonderful to have you back." Zoë laughed. "I mean, you were back before, but now _all_ of you is back." Zoë laughed again. She leaned closer to him, to escape all the noise around them. "It was so hard on Ryo, while you were gone. I have been trying to help him as best I can, but…" she paused, "well, there is a reason I told you I always wanted to serve under you and not with you."

"You conduct things so well, Zoë." Orion covered her hand with his. "I appreciate everything you did for Ryo."

"He pined for you so much, whether he is man enough to say it or not." Zoë smirked, then looked up into Orion's passionate eyes. "How are you doing?"

"I am well." He answered.

"Orion, remember who you are talking to." She reminded.

He nodded. "Arigazi's sending Ryo on this wild-goose chase, after a dragon that is nearly impossible to find."

"Are you worried that she might be trying to hurt him, for that fight they had perhaps?" Zoë raised her brow, lowering her voice even more.

"She could be, but it is impossible to tell. Ryo is perfectly qualified for the task anyway, but how long will it take him?" Orion dropped his head into his hand.

"Is something else wrong?" She asked.

"Did you know his wounds still are not totally healed?" Orion inquired, looking up.

Zoë paused. "Yes. I ran up to him two days ago and hit into his back, quite hard. He made no noise other than surprise, but when I got off of him, I saw a spot of blood on the back of his shirt. After questioning him about it, he informed me that it was nothing, so I patted him on the back and he groaned and snapped at me. I made him tell me what was up, then I got the epiphany to go get you. I thought, perhaps you would know what to do." She looked hopeful.

"I will do what I can in what little time I have with him before he leaves to Antarctica." He sighed heavily.

"You want to go with him?" Zoë spoke mindfully.

"Of course." He paused. "Would you be alright managing the chateau while we were gone?"

"I think I can manage."

"If I go, Arigazi might put bad weather onto the chateau." He warned.

"We have plenty of wood." Zoë added. "I am only worried about what kind of harsh conditions she might push onto _you_."

Orion acknowledged this, bobbing his head. "You are right. I will talk it over with Ryo."

"He will want you to stay here and protect the chateau; keep it from harm."

He frowned. "Yes, you are right of course, but I am far more stubborn than he is." They glared at each other, then Ryo, who was conversing with the Mystic Five, also talking about the next few days.

Marcie came up to Ryo and asked him something, no one could hear. He answered the question and continued to talk with the Five.

"Keep watch with the rookies." Ryo was speaking to Coji. "Stay with them 'til they get the hang of it."

He agreed.

"I really appreciate everything you all are doing." Ryo added as they all smiled, thinking again, how much more praise and appreciation they got from Ryo, than from Arigazi.

"Lord!" Centauri cried, when Ryo collapsed with a sigh to the back of his chair, his head in his hand. The Five were on their feet, half standing and ready to help him, but he waved them back to their seats.

"I am fine." He yawned. "Only tired."

"You've been so busy, Lord." Sky realized.

"Yes, take your leave. We'll look after things for the rest of the night. Tomorrow, you must trifle with that witch's demands." Centauri snapped.

"It is not her fault she is like that." Ryo sat up. "She has ruled for so long, it is hard for her to stop. She ruled over such wonderful people and did not even know it or cherish it, and now that she realizes her mistake, she wants to go back and make amends, but is instead ruining any respect her followers had for her. Do not speak ill of her, please, at least not in my company." Ryo stood to leave and Sephiroth with him.

They talked as they exited up the stairs to the West wing.

"What is wrong, Master?" Sky asked, raising her brow. Orion had been staring at them for a while.

"Pardon me!" He sat upstraighter, realizing he had been doing it. "Sorry, it is nothing. It is just, in the four years I have ruled with Ryo at my side, I have not had one hour of peace –aside from sleep- without someone coming up to me, asking for help or advice. Here I have you discussing plans and strategies with Ryo, and every problem that has arisen since I regained my memory has been brought to his attention. It is odd, not being in charge. I think I like it." He laughed.

"Lord, has tried his best to do what you would have done in the same situation." Coji replied leaning back comfortably.

"I don't think I've seen him sleep a wink in three days." Coro added. "I've been up for two days straight too, so I should know."

"Exactly." Centauri continued. "I saw him in ten minute intervals for all of yesterday. We were constantly in his company, especially because of that fire."

"Fire?" Orion perked up.

"Yes, it was a chemical fire." Zoë nodded. "A traveler had stopped here for a few hours. He had been flying in a blimp, and landed here for a rest. He was showing Ryo a trick, for amusement, with chemicals. It was supposed to make a small explosion, like fireworks, but he mixed the chemicals badly and it exploded, aiming right for his balloon. The fire hit his gas tank, and KABOOM!" Zoë gestured with her hands to emphasize.

"Lord, tried to calm the fire, but since it was chemical based, it wouldn't obey. Another explosion nearly blew him right into the chateau wall, but he called his wings to him just in time; then he called on his power, fighting fire with fire, so the expression goes. It worked. The blimp was gone, and the man was given a ride to a nearby town." Daemon recapped.

"Quite an eventful week!" Orion commented and stood. "I think I will turn in for the night." He started to walk to the staircase.

"Goodnight." They all chimed.

"Orion!" Zoë called and he turned back to her. "Whatever you 'turn into', do something about those clothes! I suggest _burning_ them!"

Orion laughed and waved goodnight.

Orion turned the corner and saw the door to his room. He smiled, ready to flop onto his bed and right into Ryo's arms. He realized, however, that Ryo was standing at the door, leaning his back on it, crossing his ankles, and staring right at Orion mischievously. Orion walked up to him, smirking.

"What is on your mind, Cherub?" Orion whispered.

"I missed you." Ryo replied seductively.

"I love you." Orion leaned his face into Ryo's and kissed his lips gently.

"I want you." Ryo pushed off the door and wrapped his arms around Orion's neck, kissing him harder.

"I need you." Orion rubbed Ryo's lower back gently.

"I have you." Ryo gasped.

"I cherish you." Orion stated.

"I kiss you." Ryo licked Orion's lips, then his mouth opened and Ryo slid his tongue into Orion's mouth.

"I see you." Orion licked, Ryo's eyelid.

"I desire you." Ryo massaged, Orion's stomach and hips.

"I adore you." Orion laughed.

"I live for you." Ryo uttered, liking this cute game.

"I die for you." Orion continued.

"I hunt for you."

"I kill for you."

They paused.

"I know." Ryo sighed, unbuttoning Orion's checkered long sleeved shirt. He wore a white tank top under that, which Ryo pulled loose easily.

Ryo opened the door behind himself, with one hand and pulled Orion in with the other.

(Cut out for obvious reasons.)

An hour later, they were both tired and almost asleep, but Orion sat up on his elbow, naked and ready to talk.

Ryo laid on his stomach, resting his head in his arms, his eyes half closed, but glued to Orion's gorgeous face.

"I will go with you tomorrow, when you head out for the dragon egg." Orion stated simply, quietly.

"No." Ryo replied and turned over onto his side, away from Orion. To him, the case was settled.

"Yes." Orion snapped, pulling Ryo closer to him and on his back.

"She will not allow you." Ryo replied calmly. "This way she will not get tempered and grumpy while I am gone. She will leave the chateau alone."

"She might just go after you with harsh snowy weather and dangerous winds, and that dragon could kill you if the weather does not."

Ryo caressed Orion's cheek, then neck, and chest.

"You are so beautiful, Orion." Ryo stated simply. "If you believe the chateau will be alright with Zoë and the Five, then by all means come. It would make my adventure much more pleasurable, but if Arigazi disagrees, then I will be forced to go alone."

He nodded. "My love, you are angry I disagreed with you?" Orion wondered, caressing his body.

Ryo laughed. "Save for Arigazi, not one soul has dared to object my ruling this past week. I only realized how much I actually longed for you. My love, my equal, my partner… I love you, Orion."

They kissed again.

Ryo turned onto his stomach, insisting that they would need plenty of rest for the next day and Orion slept next to him, quite close, playing with Ryo's hair.

When morning time came, Ryo got up early to get dressed, leaving his sleeping lover in bed. He wore his usual garb as he left the chateau and returned soon after without waking anyone. He returned to his rooms with Orion to find his love still sleeping.

Ryo leaned onto the bed next to Orion's naked form.

Orion awoke immediately and looked up to Ryo. He frowned, seeing that darkness hadn't even lifted yet, it was still early in the morning.

"Do you wish to leave so early?" Orion asked rising, so he was almost standing. Ryo knelt on the bed and grabbed Orion's bare body from behind him, around his waist. "What is wrong?" Orion whispered.

"My love, I can not endanger the chateau like this. You must stay here and guard it."

"I am coming, Ryo. Zoë can handle things here and you do not even know if…"

"I questioned Arigazi." Ryo interrupted. "This morrow, I went to her and she refused the idea. Do not make this difficult, Orion. You have to stay, and I have to go. I will be fine, please just see me off with a smile. I love you too much to leave you, when you are furious with me, but I will go, no matter what." Ryo kissed the small of Orion's back. Orion sighed.

"I will stay then." He growled, grumpily sitting back on the bed in front of Ryo.

Ryo kissed his frowning cheek, and left a trail of kisses down his neck, sucking on the soft flesh and rubbing his hands down Orion's chest and abdomen. He sucked on Orion's shoulder, biting gently on the flesh near his neck.

Orion gasped and lifted his hand up to Ryo's face, feeling his lips, where Ryo still sucked on his flesh. Ryo sucked as hard as he could, moving his hand down Orion's thigh and back up to his hip, feeling the smooth flesh between. He reached his other hand down Orion's back and squeezed his warm bum.

(Bits cut out.)

They kissed, for a long moment, before Ryo nibbled on Orion's bottom lip softly, then slipped his tongue into Orion's open mouth.

Ryo teased Orion, his hand moving down Orion's body to his organ and holding him with delicate hands. Ryo massaged Orion's scalp, raising the hair on Orion's arms, sending a chill down his back.

Orion was hard and full. He was on the edge of sanity and it was all in Ryo's hands. Ryo tickled Orion's stomach, moving his hand up Orion's abdomen to tease his other nipple, while always keeping a continuous, sensuous kiss. Orion peaked and released his essence into Ryo's hand. He collapsed onto the bed, exhausted, breathing somewhat irregularly.

Ryo held his neck in his other hand and kissed Orion's face all over.

"I must leave, my love." Ryo whispered into his lips and he laid his head on Orion's chest for a moment. He paused waiting for Orion to say something, then realized it would be better if he didn't. He kissed Orion's collarbone and got up.

Ryo pulled the comforter over Orion's tired form and washed his hand in a small basin of water on the desk. Orion opened his eyes, watching Ryo, solemnly.

Ryo pulled on a flannel waist coat and water proof cloak over that, for warmth. His cloak and waist coat had slits for his wings. Ryo grabbed his gloves, then pulled on another pair of thicker gloves over those, and he summoned his wings from the depth of his soul. He rubbed his back briefly. His wounds still hurt him, even now, but the healing was happening, slowly.

"Ryo." Orion whispered in the darkness of the room, Ryo's wings shining radiantly in the pitch black. Ryo walked over to him and squatted next to the bed. Orion crawled over, exposing himself to his waist.

"Yes, Orion?" Their faces were inches apart.

"Come back to me alive, Cherub. You are my heavenly spirit, my astral beauty, and I refuse to let you leave me without promising to come back alive." Orion reached his hand around Ryo's neck, pulling him closer. Ryo fell to his knees, uncaring, his eyes entranced with Orion's. At the last moment before their lips met Ryo placed his hand between their mouths.

"I want desperately to stay, you know that, right? If there could be another way…" He paused. "I could think of no other method to get your memory back, Orion, my love. It hurt, looking at you every time I did, trying to fight the urge to envelop you in my arms. You understand, do you not? If you were I, and Zoë were begging you to stay with the chateau instead of leaving, what would you do? If the lives of many depended on it, what would you do?" A single tear streamed down Ryo's face and fell to the carpet floor.

"I would do exactly what you are doing." Orion answered, looking Ryo right in the eye and holding his gaze. "There is no other choice and I am making it worse for you, I know, and apologize for it. I am so greedy, asking you to stay. I love you so much, and respect you even more for what you are doing."

Ryo nodded his head. Turning his face from Orion, he stood.

Orion watched Ryo walk to the window and jump to the sill.

"Wait!" He cried jumping up from the bed. He ran to Ryo's side.

Ryo squatted on the sill, turning patiently to Orion. Orion rested his hands gently on Ryo's thigh, looking up into his eyes as the sun peaked over the far mountains and trees.

"Orion." Ryo whispered. "I will come back to you alive, my love." He formed a grip of heat in his palm, then snapped his fingers and a fire started to roar on the hearth. "Keep the fire burning wherever you go, so I will know where to find you when I return. Remember that my heart burns with that same passion that that fire does."

Orion agreed, smiling and kissed Ryo's neck, sucking fiercely.

Ryo gasped softly in his ear. He bit into Ryo's flesh as he sucked, then he suddenly sucked much harder. Ryo almost fell onto him, but caught his balance.

"Orion!" He cried out in ecstasy. Orion continued for another minute before he stopped and admired his mark.

"I will keep the fire burning." He nodded. "It will burn on the hearth and here." He whispered in Ryo's ear, then took his hand and placed it over his heart. Ryo gently kissed Orion's ear.

"I love you."

"I love you." Orion replied and released him. Ryo looked over Orion's beautifully naked body, then jumped out the window soaring through the freezing air, he hoped would cleanse him of his own hard sex.

He was determined to get that stupid egg that Arigazi wanted and return home as quickly as possible. The weather was already looking dreadful to start off.

Most likely Arigazi's doing. He reasoned, trying to get his mind off of the lover he was leaving behind and onto his mission.

Orion dressed after cleaning himself off and went down to have breakfast. He walked in to find Zoë already there.

He answered her questioning eyes, then they ate together. The Mystic Five joined them soon after, but no one else was really up yet, aside from the kitchen help.

The Ronins walked in a half an hour later, covered in snow.

"It's snowing out!" Cale declared walking in and shaking a white layer of wetness off of himself.

"Is it coming down hard?" Zoë wondered.

"Not too bad!" Sye answered sitting next to Daemon.

"Good." Zoë sighed.

"You have your memory back?" Rowen asked and they all noticed it. Orion nodded.

Cale noticed the vacant chair next to Orion, which no one filled though there were many people who could.

"Where's Ryo?" He questioned pulling off his coat.

Orion explained everything to them about the night before and the fight Arigazi had had with Ryo and what Ryo had to do in order for Orion to regain his memory.

They all sighed grumpily.

"That chick is getting annoying." Kento growled.

"So you think that she's the reason it's snowing out?" Seiji wondered.

"Well, she certainly is not trying to stop it." Zoë replied, cynically.

"I hope you will excuse me." Orion bowed his head momentarily, then got up and headed toward the stairs.

"Orion!" Zoë called after him. He turned back to her. "Ryo set up a duty roster so you will not have to do anything for the next few days. Just relax. Rest."

He nodded and headed back up to his room. As he neared his door, Sephiroth walked up to him.

"I drew a bath for you." He caught Orion off guard with the statement.

"What?"

"I drew you a hot bath and brought more wood to your room, for the fire." Sephiroth handed Orion a towel. "Wouldn't want it to cool." He started to walk by Orion.

"Why did you do that?" Orion caught his arm with calm surprise.

"Ryo asked me to, earlier this morrow. He asked me to do him a favor, I told him anything, and he told me to do those things for you."

Orion nodded as he let Sephiroth go and he walked away, headed for the Hall.

"A bath." Orion repeated, walking off toward the North Wing which was supposed to be closed off, but now apparently wasn't, at least not that part.

He entered his bath and smelled the Rosemary that had been on the air, the night Ryo and he had gone there, making love for the first time.

The room was intensely warm. He knew it had to have been Ryo's doing to make it this hot. Stripping off his clothes, he walked into the bath and sat there absorbing the heat. His muscles loosened and he felt his body begin to fall asleep. All thought cleared his mind. He felt completely cleansed by the sweet smell and heat of the room.

After an hour of relaxing in the bath, he dried off, and walked back to his room. The air was freezing cold on his moist skin, but he smiled all the way back nonetheless.

Sauntering into his room, he tossed the towel on a chair to dry, then dressed in a white, loose, baggy shirt that exposed the cleave of his chest, and was always a favorite of Ryo's.

He smiled pulling on the black tight pants, Ryo constantly wore when he was resting. They stretched and were quite comfy. Orion laughed, looking into the mirror. Ryo would ravage him, if he were there to see this exposing ensemble. He ran his fingers through his short hair and growled.

Too short. He hissed, pulling at his short locks in the back. He recalled something Ryo had told him a year ago, when he was planning on dying his hair to fit this generation, so he could blend in better.

'No! Never change anything about yourself just for the sake of fitting in. Change when the flavor of life does not suit you any longer, but never for any other reason. I like everything about you. Do not change.'

From then on he had stayed the same. He valued Ryo's opinion and had loved him since the moment Ryo had fought out to protect his life.

He shuffled the towel over his head furiously.

The moment he had lost his thoughts, he had cut his hair.

Damn it! He growled. Zoë had commented about the length of his hair, but that wasn't what bothered him. Ryo had played with his short hair, solemnly, missing its' length, but he had also said that it was alright that he had cut it off. _I wish I had not._

He growled. Zoë had commented about the length of his hair, but that wasn't what bothered him. Ryo had played with his short hair, solemnly, missing its' length, but he had also said that it was alright that he had cut it off. 

"I think it looks fine." Sephiroth whispered from the window.

"What are you doing there?" Orion questioned.

"Keeping you company." He replied.

"I wish to be alone, thank you anyway." Orion turned back to the mirror over his desk.

The picture Chandria had given him still needed to be hung. He would do that before Ryo returned. Orion noticed Sephiroth still there.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm keeping you company." He repeated.

"Why?"

"Because you are lonely."

"I am not." Orion retorted, but even as he spoke it, he knew it wasn't true. "You have nothing better to do?"

Sephiroth shook his head.

"Where is that other tiger, White Blaze?" Orion ran his fingers through his hair again and turned to Sephiroth.

"He went with Ryo."

"He could not have." Orion furrowed his brow. "I saw Ryo fly off alone."

"Sarion headed out before Ryo did, so they could meet somewhere in the forest. They would then go as far as Antarctica together and Sarion would wait behind for him, near the border. Ryo will be able to find his way back that way because Sarion will be close enough for a mind link. The angel will get the egg and find Sarion, then they will return home together. Hopefully, that is how it will work out."

Orion nodded. "And Ryo told you to watch over me?"

Sephiroth shook his head, and stretched, jumping to the floor of the room.

"He asked me to follow you and keep you company."

"Are there any more surprises I should know about?" Orion turned to Sephiroth smirking.

"No." He replied. Orion sighed, giving up.

"Do what you want. I am going to take a nap." Orion got into the bed and slept soundly on Ryo's side of the bed; it was still warm.

He felt the bed move, ever so slightly, and saw Sephiroth jump next to him. The bed was barely disrupted. Sephiroth curled up into a ball next to Orion.

They slept near each other for three hours before Orion got up restlessly.

"Help me hang this picture." Orion stood and pivoted back to look at Sephiroth.

He yawned deeply, then stood. His body was sluggish and slow to react.

"Where will it be?" He stretched his back, tightening his stomach muscles, then let out a roar of a yawn.

Orion laughed. "You must have been tired." He stated.

"You would be too if you were woken up before the crack of dawn after only four hours of sleep." Sephiroth blushed lightly and walked over to the picture that stood tall next to Orion's desk. "This it?" He whispered, knowing Orion's eyes were on him.

"Yes, it goes over the fireplace."

Sephiroth nodded. Orion picked up the picture and they walked over to the hearth. Sephiroth leapt up to the mantel that was only six inches wide and balanced himself.

The ceiling was quite a distance away so he didn't worry about hitting his head.

Orion pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the bed. He beckoned his wings from his body and grabbed a few nails he had prepared for the picture.

Flying up to Sephiroth's height they positioned the picture where they thought it would look best.

Sephiroth held the painting while Orion jammed two nails into the stone wall using only brute force. They put it up, then Orion flew back to see how it looked. He frowned, it was too high.

They repeated the same procedure five more times before finding the right spot, then it was crooked, and they fixed that.

Another ten minutes later, they finally had it right.

Orion placed Sephiroth on the floor and landed himself.

"Well, that was a bit annoying." Orion groaned.

"Now, I'm hungry." Sephiroth announced. "Do you want to take a walk around and talk to people?"

Orion shrugged. "Sure. Zoë informed me that I have no work to accomplish today. What else is there to do?" He dispersed with his wings and snatched his shirt from the bed. They walked around the chateau, noticing that the weather hadn't gotten any better.

"Daddy!" Chandria shouted happily as he walked into the South wing. She ran up to him, bowed, and hugged him.

"What have you been doing today?" Orion asked.

"Cleaning up the kitchen at first, then Mistress Zoë taught me more about history, and science. She says that a lady should know about those things, so I am trying hard to learn them, Master." She bowed again.

"Very good, Chandria. You do what Zoë says and you will go very far in life. I see great opportunities in your future, already."

"Thank you." She laughed and ran off. "I have some more work to finish. Lord left me some jobs that I must accomplish before his return!"

Orion smirked. "Ryo's got everyone working."

"So you don't have to." Sephiroth affirmed.

Marcie came up to Orion next. "How was your sleep, Master?" She smiled, and bent forward.

"It was fine, thank you."

"Can I get you anything?"

"Nothing." He nodded. "How have things been going?"

"Smoothly, Master, but we missed you much. You were gone so long, it seemed like an eternity. Thank heaven and earth you are safely back with us."

Zoë came out of the kitchen looking for someone, saw Marcie and beckoned her over.

"I must go, Master. Please, relax and do not worry, Lord will return home safely, just as you have." She ran off to talk to Zoë and they both went into the kitchen.

Cale and Rowen came up to Orion next as he sat near the fountain observing everyone's hustled behaviors.

"Has Ryo left already?" Cale questioned.

"Yes." Orion replied.

Cale and Rowen both looked at each other, then Orion again.

"What has happened now?"

"Yuli's missing." They answered. Orion's mouth dropped open, but he quickly closed it and thought for a minute.

"You have looked everywhere?"

"The others are looking for him for the third time as we speak." Rowen nodded.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Sephiroth asked.

"He passed me in the hall earlier this morning. He said he was going for an early breakfast. I was half asleep and going back to our room, so I didn't pay it much attention." Rowen's gaze dropped to the ground.

They all frowned.

"What should we do?" Rowen snapped.

"He is already half way to Antarctica if Ryo has met up with him by now." Sephiroth sighed.

"How do you figure?" Cale asked.

"He must have ridden White Blaze to meet up with Ryo in time to catch him, so then they would travel on like that and in the four hours since they left Ryo would have gotten them about half way there." Sephiroth nodded. "I do not think he would have taken the youth with him, though."

"Why not?" Rowen wondered.

"He would send him back on the tiger most likely." Orion leaned against the angel statue as they heard heavy foot steps from the garden. "They are here." Orion smiled in his own cunning pride.

A/N: So I can't do separation lines, but I can do little asteriscs! Cool!


	11. Injured in a Library

A/N: This is dedicated to a very special reviewer who I was unable to reply to because it was an anonymous review. Her name is **_Akaisha.

* * *

_**

Just to clear up any misunderstanding by anyone who still reads this -when I wrote about Ryo meeting whomever "near the border", what I meant was if you were traveling in as straight a line as possible from Ryo's home to Antarctica, there is a point where White Blaze would no longer be able to follow because there is no more land to stand on. That general area is what I meant by meeting said person "near the border". (I had a picture in my mind of a long line of snowy trees that bordered a huge enpanse of ice where White Blaze would patiently wait for his friend's safe return.) It was a flippant way of referring to as far as his company would be able to travel with him without flying along. He would keep going alone, then have company for the journey back.

* * *

Chapter 11 

White Blaze walked in with Yuli strolling next to him. They marched over to the fountain.

No one was angry. No one said anything for a while.

White Blaze looked grumpy. He just walked away from Yuli, headed for the kitchen and probably Zoë.

Yuli stood there looking at his friends, then Orion.

"I know it was stupid. I only wanted to try." Yuli was waiting for a punishment, but none came. "White Blaze is angered because he had to bring me back and couldn't go with Ryo."

Orion looked perfectly calm. His eyes were on Yuli, then the garden entrance after his sensitive ears picked up more footsteps.

Sye, Dais, and Sekmet came in and walked over to the fountain. Sye whacked Yuli upside his head furiously.

"Ow!" Yuli complained.

"Maybe that knocked some sense into your head." He snapped. Yuli smiled and hugged Sye, who hugged him back. They let go and kissed. "Don't do that to me!" Sye scolded.

Yuli nodded and hugged him again.

They all walked away to get Yuli something to eat and talk.

"That was almost a disaster." Sephiroth whispered into Orion's ear.

"Now he is alone though." Orion sighed, ruefully. Sephiroth nodded.

"He is strong, Orion. He'll be fine."

They did nothing for a while, but sit there in silence, waving to the occasional person that walked by and noticed them.

"I am going to my library." Orion declared and got up. Sephiroth leapt up and followed him to the library he didn't know the chateau had.

"We have a library?" Sephiroth asked.

They were walking up the West wing, but they only went about twelve feet past Orion's room before he stopped and turned toward the opposite side of the hall as his door.

He counted the bricks. Every time he stopped, he knocked on that brick three times. Up six from the floor, left four, right five, up six, then he merely pushed on the stone and it opened up with some difficulty. The dark stone gave way to a large gorgeous room with light from several lamps.

Sephiroth was in awe.

"I never knew about this." He declared.

"I know." Orion nodded. "Only I do." He smiled. "Now you too."

There were twenty torches lit around the ballroom-like chamber and ten miniature chandeliers of candles hanging around the room every two torches. The room was completely circular and grand. The floor was made of sturdy glass, with the illusion of a summer sky with clouds, under their feet and it was actually quite warm –Sephiroth imagined the floor might change to night too, probably depending on whether the lights were bright or dim, or whether it was nighttime outside.

Several large candles floated freely around the room in a circle, not once changing their course. Orion shut the door behind them.

Every inch of wall space was occupied with shelves that were built inside the wall. All of it was marble. Every shelf was black marble. The shelves went from the floor to the beginning of the arch to the ceiling.

Several chairs were situated in random places around the room with tables next to them. Two desks were inside the room with quills, ink, paper, and several open books on each.

Almost all of the books in the room were leather bound with bookmarks sticking into each. The only other three things in this room was a podium like stand that held a very large open book on it, a fireplace on the far wall burning furiously, and a large globe made of gold. Every continent was a different solid color with gold bordering the continents, then there were extra spaces of land on the globe that were either blue, silver, or gray. The arm holding the axles was gold and on a slight angle, it rotated any direction. The base was large and also gold, it stood five feet high and four feet wide.

The room was quite warm, but not stuffy at all; it was temperate.

The ceiling was like a dome. One large chandelier hung from the very middle of it, of course with candles.

The rest of the ceiling was a grand painting. Angels, dragons, horses, mortals, gods, goddesses, and other mythical creatures decorated the entire ceiling. No windows were in the room, but a light breeze flowed through nonetheless.

"Not even Ryo knows about this room." Orion closed Sephiroth's gaping mouth with his hand and continued to walk into the room.

"It's beautiful." Sephiroth whispered, afraid to break the silence. "Who painted the ceiling?"

"I did." Orion replied.

"Gorgeous." Sephiroth gasped, then he noticed one of the angels, with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail sailing through the painting. The honey colored skin was so distinctive. He was half naked and smiling down on another angel with silver hair. They both looked so free.

Orion realized where Sephiroth's gaze had landed and he smiled.

"Yes." He nodded. "It is Ryo and I. Look more closely. You will find your beastly form and your now human form racing the winds. Zoë is there as well, flying above you and laughing."

Sephiroth found a lot of familiar faces. The child Chandria, the Five, the Ronins, and in the middle of the mural was the Earth. Everything was so perfectly painted, with such detail and careful aspects. He captured Ryo's fiery eyes perfectly, his muscular body and glossy wings…

Orion was truly the master. He had made sure every stripe on Goldeye's body was accounted for. It looked like a photograph that had been painted over. Every creature in the painting was perfect. They had no defaults and looked absolutely alive. They looked as if they would just start to move any moment now.

Sephiroth looked over to Orion and saw him writing in a journal like book at one of the desks.

"Sit if you want!" Orion yelled as he wrote. "Read anything. The books will not bite you."

"What…? _Orion_…" He spoke as if he were annoyed. He paused. "How does this room stay lit if the air in here is shut off from everything else? What is that breeze? Are those candles _floating_? If you are the only one who knows about this room, then how does it stay dust free and who lights the candles?"

Orion laughed from his seat. Sephiroth came walking over scowling.

"It is magick. The breeze is magically made to blow, the fire is a witches fire. It does not burn you if you touch it. It is all made magically to stay alight. The fireplace is the only real fire in here. Every time I enter, it starts up. Magically, every time I leave the room it dusts itself. It is all magick." Orion laughed and Sephiroth nodded understandingly.

They spent hours in the room. Sephiroth looked at hundreds of books, skimming their titles and if something caught his eye he would read it for a short time.

Sephiroth found one book however, that held his attention. It was a love story between two males who were forbidden from seeing each other ever because one was an angel and lived in heaven, the other was a demon and lived in hell. They were destined to be enemies, but they had fallen in love.

He found a cushy chaise lounge chair near the fireplace and he sat and read. The book was eight hundred pages and addicting.

Sephiroth hadn't opened a book for three hundred years. Reading this novel was fascinating. He read some pages several times so he wouldn't forget anything. Four hours later he had made it through three hundred pages and fifty color pictures, which he had studied intensely. Finally, he realized he hadn't even checked the author. Looking in the front of the book he saw it read: _Orion_

He gasped, his gaze shooting up to Orion who had fallen asleep on his journal. Looking up, Sephiroth could see the lights had automatically dimmed for the mood of the room. The floor was now a picture scene of a black starry night.

He suddenly became quite tired as well and leaned back falling comfortably asleep in the chair.

* * *

Orion awoke slowly in a bright room, filled with sun shine. He scowled, covering his eyes and turning over. He then realized that he was in his bed and wearing the same outfit as before. 

He squinted his eyes looking around the room. No one was there. It was day of course, but what day. A clock on the wall told him it was nine o'clock in the morning. One day would have already had to pass for it to be nine o'clock again, but who had found him in his library?

Orion thought for a while, then gasped sitting up straight.

"Ryo!" He shouted. There was no answer. He got out of the bed and ran down to the South wing. Plenty of people were in the room, but no Ryo or Sephiroth. He came to his senses. Sephiroth must have put him to bed after he had fallen asleep. He slowly strolled back to his room, but thought about his journal and what he had been writing and decided he wanted to finish it first.

He moved back over to the wall, but didn't have to knock at all. It was cracked open somewhat. He cautiously walked in, looking around the dimly lit room. Sephiroth still slept on the couch. He hadn't moved at all. Orion's journal still lay open on the desk and the fireplace still burnt heavily.

Orion felt a wind blow in his face, but it wasn't his magical wind. His gaze shot up and his breath was caught in his throat. His angel flew near the ceiling, his shirt, cloak, and waist coat were on the floor. He was tenderly touching the painting of himself very gently, his mouth slightly open.

"Ryo?" He whispered gently.

Ryo turned quickly, looking down on Orion, surprised. He smiled and flew down, landing in front of Orion.

"My love." He sighed and embraced Orion with all his might.

"You have returned?" Orion asked, shocked still. "I am not still dreaming?"

Ryo laughed and pulled back to look him in the eye.

"Can an illusion do this?" He asked caressing Orion's cheek. He leaned closer licking Orion's lips, which parted to greet him. They kissed for what seemed an eternity.

"How did you get in here?" Orion whispered in his ear. "How did you know about this place?"

"I had not known of it." Ryo answered. "I came in around one o'clock this morrow looking for you. I sensed the fire in here and felt your spirit, so I commanded the door to open. It took all of my willpower, but it opened. I found you and put you to bed. I have been in here ever since." He blushed. "Almost nine hours I have been in here and I just now discovered the beautiful ceiling." He laughed. "You painted it, yes?"

Orion nodded, blushing himself.

"The books. A lot of them are written by you."

He nodded again.

"They are mostly love novels." Ryo laughed softly, like a purr.

Orion smirked. "Meeting you inspired me."

Ryo blushed ten times deeper and Orion embraced him again, feeling relieved to be able to hold his angel in his arms again.

He noticed Ryo was still flying, hovering off the floor almost. Looking down to Ryo's legs he saw them scratched up.

"Ryo!" He gasped. Ryo smiled, painfully.

"Don't touch them. It hurts too much." He tried to improve his smile. "I got a bit too close to the mother dragon. My cloak is in tatters as well."

"Did you get the egg?" Orion questioned.

"I already gave it to Arigazi. She started to apologize for it so I left quickly. The weather still has yet to improve."

Orion kissed Ryo's collarbone, then neck and mouth again.

"You must rest." Orion ordered.

Ryo hugged Orion.

"My flesh burns. The dragon's nails have developed some kind of venom on them."

"I will clean you off and heal you."

"What about Sephiroth?" Ryo sighed looking back to him.

"A sleeping cat, laying on a cushioned couch, next to a fire, in a dimly lit room filled with books…" Orion laughed. "How perfect for him?"

Ryo agreed, but let go of Orion and swiftly flew over to Sephiroth's side.

"I have returned." He whispered and Sephiroth's eyes opened to see him.

"You are wounded." He stated.

"It is not as bad as it could have been."

Sephiroth acknowledged this, caressing Ryo's cheek.

"At least you are back safely." Sephiroth's hand fell back to his stomach. "Do you need anything?"

"No." Ryo replied calmly, smiling. "Go back to sleep. Stay here as long as you want, just close the door behind you."

Sephiroth nodded closing his eyes gently.

Orion bared his own wings and flew Ryo out of the room. He shut the door behind them and took Ryo to the bath.

* * *

Sephiroth heard them leave and sighed. He was about to get up and leave for something to eat, but changed his mind and finished reading the book instead. 

Three hours later, he was finished and tired again, but he got up, stretched and left his now favorite room.

It was lunch time, and he was starving. He headed down the hall and saw Sarion walking toward him, in only a loin cloth.

The scar on his hip was still somewhat visible over his smooth white skin.

"Are you doing anything important?" He asked.

"Going to lunch." Sephiroth replied.

"Would you accompany me on a walk?" Sarion wondered. He seemed desperate so Sephiroth agreed.

They went outside through a window and started to walk around the castle, stopping at the graveyard.

"Why do you think Arigazi is doing all of this?" Sarion questioned.

"It is impossible to say." Sephiroth replied. "I was by her side for more than one hundred years, but I still do not understand her twisted mind. A recent, torn apart, upside down road map of New York, in Egyptian script, would be more sensible and easier to understand than her." His eyes on the sacred ground the flowers guarded, Sephiroth remembered the half-vampire. "Where is Josh?"

"I do not know who you speak of." Sarion replied.

"Yes, you do. The angel that was turned into a vampire. I remember that you were around when he snuck up on us in Ryo's chamber."

Sarion nodded.

"Oh, him." Sarion looked around the area. "Did he not head back down to the cities to find his fortune and explore?"

Sephiroth agreed.

"Could very well be. I don't recall." Sephiroth glanced sideways to Sarion. "What's really bothering you?" He asked.

"Nothing." Sarion mumbled solemnly.

"Something's wrong." Sephiroth insisted.

"No." Sarion replied.

"Fine then, I'm going to eat something." Sephiroth started to walk away. Sarion let him walk a few yards away before speaking again.

"I don't think the threat on their lives is over." Sarion murmured. Sephiroth stopped tiredly in his tracks, then turned slowly back to Sarion.

"What gives you that feeling?" Sephiroth wondered, his voice as soft as the coo of a dove.

"It's a gut instinct." He whispered turning to Sephiroth scowling. "You've been human for so long, you've blocked out your animal instincts. Let in the power you deny. You will feel it too."

Sephiroth scowled. Being preached at by an immortal only a third of his age, made him cynical. He didn't like what Sarion said, though he knew it was true. He closed his eyes letting his animal power surge through his body. He had ignored it before, but now he could feel his intuition screaming at him to find and protect Ryo and Orion. He opened his eyes sighing heavily.

The two half-cats looked each other over, frowning.

"Let's go find them." Sephiroth insisted and they both headed off to the garden entrance.

* * *

Orion and Ryo sat on their bed comfortably leering playfully at each other. Ryo sat against the pillows, a seductive stare on his face. Orion glared at him from the foot of the bed, one leg hanging off the bed, the other supporting his elbow. He smiled sexually. 

Ryo was dressed in his baggy black pants and belt, but nothing more. His hair was in a ponytail, laying across his bare chest. His legs were healed and he was overjoyed by Orion's playful words before.

Their attention turned from one another, to the door once they sensed company coming.

Sephiroth and Sarion burst into the room, then realized how rude it was.

Ryo stared at them oddly, his brow raised, his mouth slightly open, as they retreated.

"Wait!" Ryo shouted before the door was shut and they came back in. "What is going on?" He asked. Orion was the picture of patience.

"Sorry to intrude." Sephiroth bowed, but Sarion didn't budge from his place next to Sephiroth.

"Did you need something?" Orion whispered gently, turning to face them, still on the bed.

Sephiroth looked at Sarion, not knowing how to phrase the thought.

"We were worried." He decided on.

"About who?" Ryo whispered, smiling.

"You two." Sarion answered.

"Why? What has conspired?" Orion asked.

"We feel something." Sephiroth started. "It is hard to explain, but it feels like the danger is not totally gone." He hoped they would believe him.

Orion looked at Ryo, then they both looked back to the half-cats.

"We know." Orion stated.

"What?" Sarion snapped.

"Orion sensed the same thing." Ryo answered. "It might very well still be Arigazi, but there is no telling for sure until the problem surfaces."

Sephiroth was kind of grumpy.

"You're just going to wait for it to come after you again?" He growled.

"Sephiroth!" Ryo remembered his temper and calmed dramatically. "There is nothing more we can do. Going out to look for the trouble that will find us in time would only leave the chateau open to attack again. Divided we will fall, but united we can stand against any force that comes our way."

Sarion and Sephiroth didn't look too pleased with the possibility of more fighting.

"You do not have to fight." Orion declared. Their gaze shot to him. "You two are not obligated in any way to help. Do what you want." Orion stood, holding his hand out to Ryo who stood with him. They started to walk toward the door.

Sarion caught Ryo's arm in a gentle vice like grip. Ryo looked at him calmly, wondering.

"I will stand by your side always." He insisted. Ryo nodded, placing his hand on top of Sarion's.

"That means a lot to me."

They both smiled.

"Where are you going?" Sephiroth asked, frowning.

"We are going to train the servants and angels to defend themselves. If they should ever need the experience, they will have it." Orion answered reaching the door.

Sephiroth grabbed Ryo's arm, leaning close to him. He whispered something inaudible to anyone but Ryo. He nodded and they separated.

'What did he say?' Orion wondered, squeezing Ryo's hand.

'Nothing.' Ryo replied, still shirtless.

They entered the South wing and were greeted by an assembly of the entire chateau. Walking down, Orion saw some new faces.

"Who are they?" Orion whispered to Ryo.

"The new sentries."

Orion studied the tall men carefully, then moved his gaze over to the Five. Ryo went off to speak with his friends. Sarion and Sephiroth stuck with him.

Sarion had been introduced to the Ronins as Sarion the week Orion had been away with amnesia.

"What's with the get-up?" Yuli asked.

"This is comfortable." Sarion replied calmly.

"So what's up with the meeting?" Cale wondered, walking closer to Ryo.

"It is not you all we are really addressing, but the others do not know how to fight so we are going to show them basic skills they will need to defend themselves. Even before the attacks to the chateau, it was mandatory." Ryo answered. "Will you help out? You do not have to."

"I'll watch." Yuli responded.

"Me too." Sye nodded.

"I'll help." Cale waved his hand to the side, then placed it carelessly on his hip. His gaze flickered to the gold snake around Ryo's upper arm, its fangs bit into its own tail to complete the circle. Cale noticed the serpent had red eyes, probably made of ruby. He was going to ask Ryo about it, but decided against it.

Orion was talking with the Five about how they were to direct the training program, when Chandria interrupted, running up to him.

"Am I to participate, Master?" She questioned. He didn't appreciate being postponed, but turned to her anyway.

"You can not just disturb me when I am speaking with others." He warned, kneeling in front of her. She covered her mouth quickly, dreading that she had annoyed him.

"I will never do it again." She promised.

"Learn from your mistakes, and you _will_ make a lot of them, do not worry. To answer your question, you must find Zoë and Ryo and ask each of them. Majority rules. A yes or no answer must come from them both. I say no, but they may think differently."

Chandria nodded, beaming. She ran off to find Ryo. He was still speaking with his friends. She was more polite in approaching him.

"Lord?" She asked as he spoke. He looked down to her, frowning, but smiled warmly.

"Yes, Chandria?" He whispered. They all looked down on her.

"Do you want me participating in the exercise practices?" She put on her most innocent looking face.

"You will learn the skills sooner or later. Do you feel up to it? Are you under the weather?"

She shook her head.

"Why not? Sure." He answered. She left him, smiling and he finished speaking with his comrades.

Zoë was talking to most of the help. They were eager to hear her words of wisdom in what they must do. Most of the women that worked in the chateau looked up to Zoë and respected her greatly for the high position she held as Orion's most trusted aide.

"Mistress?" Chandria asked softly and all the woman parted to let her see Zoë.

"Chandria?" Zoë answered smiling.

"What do you think of me taking part in the practice the others are doing?"

"If you want to, go for it. It does not matter. It really is your choice."

"Is that a yes or a no?" Chandria asked.

"Your choice." Zoë repeated and shook her head.

"Orion asked me to get a yes or no from you." The little girl, was no longer smiling.

"No." Zoë said. "I would not put one so young through that." She bobbed her head, then went back to her conversation with the other ladies Chandria didn't know.

She walked back over to Orion and patiently waited within his view, for him to finish.

"What was the verdict?" He asked.

"Mistress said no and Lord said yes."

"You do not have to join in, then." He nodded and she went off to sit on the fountain and watch the fun.

Zoë, Orion, and Ryo all had their swords with them as they stood together at the front of the room on the large bottom step. Everyone else in the room held bamboo sticks as practice weapons.

"When fighting, you fight honorably, or you do not fight at all." Zoë declared loudly.

Heads nodded.

"You know why we do not give you real weapons to start with. It would be too dangerous." Orion continued.

Everyone there nodded.

"You must first learn the weight of your weapon. Before you fight, even with a sword you just picked up off the ground, you must judge its weight and judge your target. A flimsy weak rapier would need more power behind it to get the same affect as a heavy sturdy sword with less strength behind it." Ryo announced.

"You do not need to be the strongest person in the world to fight and win a battle, you need only skill and determination. Ninety percent of the time the person who wins every fight is the one with more determination and more skills." Zoë smirked as she stood with her feet spread looking to Ryo.

"The slight movement of your wrist can inflict damage upon someone." Orion stated. Zoë hit Ryo's butt with the side of her sword. He jumped, rubbing his ass.

"Like that." Zoë smiled. The entire room erupted into a giggling fit, but they remained quiet.

"I'll get you back." Ryo whispered.

"Pair off in two's. Turn to the person next to you. They are your partner." Orion continued and turned to Ryo, who faced him as well.

Orion raised his sword in the air. Ryo did the same, so their swords crossed. With one tap to each others sword, they jumped back and into a poised position.

"Tapping the other persons sword is a way of saying, _en garde_, or be warned." Zoë yelled as she backed away from the two. "They are each in a fighting stance that has taken a while to develop. It is not really taught with us, how you should stand in position one. Whatever is most comfortable. Usually, how you stand reflects how you will attack, so do not be obvious. To a trained eye, almost any stance you can pick will reflect your next move and probably your whole strategy. Be unique."

Ryo and Orion jumped at each other at the same time. Orion sliced his sword at Ryo's face. He dodged by leaning backward, almost a foot from the floor, then coming up again and attacking Orion.

His hair was tossed around behind him, but never got in the way of his attack.

"Ryo was low to the ground at first, which is a defensive position, yet he was ready to pounce on Orion like a cat!" Zoë added over the clash of their swords. Ryo and Orion met, but didn't seem to be trying too hard. They stared at each other a while, their swords grinding together.

Orion laughed out loud and kissed Ryo's cheek. They separated, paused for a moment standing as if they hadn't been fighting, then they went at it again.

"Many fighters have a moment, maybe a few minutes of a break between their lunges where they calmly stare at each other. It is mutually understood that you both agree to the idea. Most warriors will merely stare at each other before a fight trying to psyche the other out, then attack when their guard is gone." Zoë continued the play by play.

Orion lunged at Ryo again, but Ryo flipped over him, and landed gracefully without a sound behind him. He moved faster than Orion could turn and pretended like he was about to swipe his head off when instead he fastened his arms around Orion's shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"You're dead." He whispered. Zoë burst into laughter. Chandria was in hysterics as well. The lovers were quite humorous when they wanted to be.

The laughter around the room was interrupted by three people that came dashing into the room. The servants parted grumpily for the intruders to be able to walk up to Ryo and Orion, who separated.

They looked curiously at the three men, who bowed upon reaching them.

"Master Orion, it is I, Daniel Astrolle." The short man stood up straight, but his guards stayed bowing.

'Who is this?' Ryo asked, patiently.

'Another Ancient, though this one is the oldest aside from me that is still living.'

Ryo nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Orion questioned.

"I am deeply sorry to just barge in on you while you were…" he looked around, "doing whatever it is you were doing, but I need your assistance badly."

"What is it?" Orion asked, assured it couldn't possibly be as bad as what they had gone through lately.

"You know of course I was entrusted with the Silver Dragon Heart, one thousand years ago."

Orion nodded and gestured for him to continue.

"The safety of my coven and that heart is in grave danger. Creatures that attack only in the night are after it, and seeking to destroy my kingdom. They are not vampires, I am positive. They come from under the ground, with huge eyes to see perfectly in the blackness, with talons that cut through metal with ease. They have killed so many, but we found out they hate any kind of light and have been able to hold them at bay, but our resources have run low and they block any hope of getting supplies through because they can leap high into the sky to shoot down our angels."

"What can we possibly do?" Orion wondered. "Look around. All that is left of my coven is before you. We have little hopes of an army, we don't have enough supplies for you and no way to get them to you if we did. What more could I possibly do for you?" Orion frowned deeply sorry.

"Lend me the help of one of your angels. I only ask for one. They must be able to fly and fight. Please, I ask the help of the Lord Ryo here." Daniel's hands were together, as if praying to Orion, who scowled.

"I can not allow that. Go to another coven of angels."

"Why?" Daniel fell to his knees. "I am on my hands and knees, begging you. My advisors have been bragging about Lord Ryo ever since attending his birth celebration. He is a marvelous fighter, very strong, and will be able to help us get rid of the Gargoyle like things. We will pay you, handsomely and will forever be in your debt."

Ryo sighed frustrated and sat down on the stairs, tiredly. He tossed his sword in front of him and rubbed his face, then relaxed his elbow on his knee.

Orion came up to Ryo and pet his hair gently.

"How long would it be for?" Ryo growled, not meaning to sound so rude, but not really caring either.

"Two weeks at the maximum." Daniel whispered, still on the floor.

"Rise." Ryo snapped. They all did. Ryo looked at Orion knowing that it should be done, and Orion nearly started to cry. He hated to be parted from Ryo like this.

"I'll go instead." Zoë stepped forward looking at them all. Orion and Ryo looked at Daniel, agreeing with the idea.

"No." Daniel sighed. "You and Master Orion are necessary for this palazzo to run accordingly. You both have been here for more than thirty years, but he has only been he for one and no offense to you Mistress, but he is much better skilled."

Orion scowled again.

"Zoë is just as strong as Ryo is and perfectly qualified and capable in a thousand different areas!" He shouted.

"But none I need!" Daniel insisted. "Can she burn away the predators that come in the night? Can she see through the pitch blackness? Can she light a powerful fire to border our castle so the beasts can not come through and control it? Can she set someone afire with the will of her mind?"

'If I could I'd do it to him right now!' Zoë hissed, talking to Orion.

"I do not mean to be rude, Master, but I speak the truth and you know it. Not even you can set afire another being only by the means of you willing it to be so."

Orion shook his head.

"You are supposed to help others weaker than you and we are certainly just that, and we are in peril!" Daniel explained.

"Hush!" Orion yelled and he was silent. He turned back to Ryo and kneeled in front of his tired form. "Do you want to go?" He asked softly.

"That does not matter at all. If it were my choice I would never leave the bed. We would always be naked and together, but it is not my choice. He needs someone and apparently I am his only option. I will go and return as soon as possible." Ryo whispered back. They kissed, then both stood.

"He will go." Orion answered, dangerously staring at Daniel. "You have two weeks, but if it takes any longer than that for him to return, then I don't care what happens to your kingdom, I will come and retrieve him myself. Believe me in what I say, if he does not come back to me in one piece, it will not only be those Gargoyle parasites you will have to fear. You will greet Death in open welcoming arms by the time I am through with you."

Daniel audibly gulped and nodded.

It wasn't just a warning, it sounded like a threat the way Orion said it.

Ryo picked up his sword, beckoned his wings to him, and walked up to Daniel scowling.

"Thank you so much, Lord, Master!" He was overjoyed, though Ryo was furious and completely grumpy. They left, with everyone saying good-bye to Ryo, who gave one last solemn, fleeting glance to Orion.

'I love you.' He whispered gently.

Orion heard it as if Ryo had been next to him as he spoke, but he was across the room. Zoë came up to Orion's side.

'May your soul take flight to the devil when you die. May Cerberus have no pity on your unworthy-self.' Zoë rasped in Daniel's mind though she allowed everyone in the room to hear it telepathically. Daniel turned before leaving to glance at Zoë worriedly. 'I hope the Gargoyles eat you!' She snapped.

He left and everyone erupted into giggling fits.

Orion was still so saddened he didn't want to continue the practice, so he left it to Zoë and Sephiroth, who joined her on the stage.

The Ronin's had been on the side of the room, but now looked at each other.

"What the hell is up with this shit?" Yuli growled, disgusted.

"Damn it!" Rowen hissed. "There has got to be someone plotting against those two. They can't stay together for five minutes without someone tearing them apart again."

"It must be very hard on Orion." Sye realized.

"There's nothing we can do about it." Sekmet sighed.

"It's sad though." Kento agreed.

Yuli held fast to Sye's arm, pulling him closer, just for the sake of knowing he was there, and near. Sye kissed his temple.

"I've got an idea." Yuli whispered.

"What?" Dais wondered. Yuli started to blush as he looked around to them all. He shrank back against the wall.

"Spit it out!" Cale insisted.

* * *

Orion flopped onto his bed and laid there as tears started to stroll down his cheeks. 

He felt someone brush his side and opened his eyes to see Sarion.

"Leave me be." Orion ordered, turning onto his side.

"No." Sarion answered sitting next to Orion and just being next to him.

"Do you have a purpose for sitting there?" Orion asked after a long period of silence.

"No." Sarion replied and continued to sit there.

"Good enough." Orion fell asleep trying to forget about the lover that wasn't there with him.

* * *

Almost a fortnight past and the chateau had been quite busy, with new travelers coming in to visit and some to stay. 

Arigazi flew in the windy breeze, floating a few miles from the chateau, but it was still easily seen. She crossed her arms staring at the cloudy sky that blocked her view. With the glare of her emerald green eyes dangerously upon the clouds, they blew quickly out of her way.

_I was so foolish!_ She snapped, talking to no one. _How could I have done that to them? All those poor souls lost. I am a fool!_ She remembered the massacre on the angels and how close Orion and Ryo came to death. _I hurt them both so much. Ryo is completely right about me. I am a selfish bitch! Now they are separated from each other _again_. The star crossed lovers, who's paths only crossed once, it seems destined to be, because of my meddling._ She thought for a moment. _Maybe there is something I can do to help them though._

She deviously smiled, and turned toward the setting sun. Arigazi flew off toward America, where Ryo had gone.

* * *

Orion sat on the fountain watching everyone as they passed by. Most of them ignored him as if he were a ghost and actually wasn't sitting there, but he liked it better that way. He observed them all as they worked on jobs he had given them earlier. 

Couriers bused back and forth bringing orders to this person and that one. The majority of people were in such a great hurry they were barely watching where they were going enough not to trip. Orion snickered every time someone fell, but otherwise stayed silent.

He saw Marcie –not busy for once- standing against the stairwell railing, talking to Kento.

They were laughing and smiling gaily.

Zoë was constantly running in a different direction, running errands herself because of the shortage of help, collecting schedules of who worked during what time.

Sarion stayed by her side, helping her out and making her laugh, to lighten her melancholy mood. He never said anything wrong at all to her. The perfect words unceasingly rolled off his lips as if a fountain feeding a roaring stream of emotion and power.

Chandria came gliding down the stairs in an elaborately designed short dress and cape to match, with her hair up in a bun. Next to her was one of the many visitors the chateau had received as of late, a prince from a distant kingdom that had been friends with the Skies chateau for thousands of years.

He was tall for a ten-year-old, blonde mortal boy. His eyes sparkled a bright blue that matched the sky outside, which was a shade darker than usual.

He laughed, taking her hand casually and entwining his fingers with hers. She didn't mind at first, but her gaze caught Orion's smirking one and she pulled her hand away. The young prince looked over to Orion, following Chandria's gaze and he blushed himself, not as deep as her blush though.

They walked outside into the garden trying not to seem any more obvious that they liked each other.

The prince had come alone, but planned on having his brothers join him soon. He would be staying there until then, which pleased Chandria.

Orion glanced over the entire room until his eyes fell on Sye, who was leaning over Yuli smirking. They stood in a darker corner of the room on the opposite side of the staircase.

_Kids._ He laughed gently, then silenced himself. The two leaned closer, kissing with all their might. He turned away to look at the picture of Arigazi that still hung over the stairs.

"Ryo…" He whispered softly. He was about to head off toward his library to float in his own sorrow and go back into a drawn state, in which he would only paint for hours on end without food.

Before he could even rise, the door from the garden shot open. Chandria flew in quickly toward Orion, the male prince in her small arms. She landed quickly next to Orion and placed the prince next to her.

Orion was shocked. Chandria never liked to fly really. Staying on the ground was twice as good to her, but now she bore her wings and even in front of the prince.

He found out why in another moment because a cyclone like wind swept through the room and stopped in front of Orion.

The prince wrapped his arms securely around Chandria and held fast to her, protecting her.

The wind dissipated and Arigazi lowered herself to the floor with Ryo in her arms.

He was slack in her arms with a small bandage around his right thigh, which bled slightly, but nothing more.

His sword was sheathed and in Arigazi's hand. She looked completely calm unlike Orion, who was furious.

"What the…"

Arigazi closed her eyes, no anger or revenge at all covered her face, she was as serene as a newly born babe. Her calm face silenced Orion immediately.

"I am sorry for what I did to you two and all the other angels that used to live here, Orion. I can not bring them back from the dead, since I am, in fact just that. I will leave you alone from now on. Never will I darken your sights again, I have seen the many errors of my ways. When I realized what a fool I was, I went to find Ryo and bring him back here. The dragon egg Ryo got me hatched into a strong dragon that immediately flourished in the week that I had him and trained him. I brought him to America where Ryo was and sent him after those demons. He killed most of them. We had arrived during a fight so it was perfect. Ryo had been hurt by the demons so I wrapped the wound and brought him back to you. He owes no debt to Astrolle." Arigazi was completely sincere.

Orion was aghast for a moment, but then stepped closer and took Ryo from her. She caressed Ryo's face.

"He stayed up many days in a row without sleep and is quite tired." She glanced back up to Orion. "Please forgive my inhumane deeds." She paused. "I'd understand if you didn't…"

Ryo grabbed her arm and she gasped.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Arigazi sighed, smiling now with tears coming to her dark eyes.

Orion dropped Ryo's feet to the ground, but held his body close.

Arigazi glanced to Orion's face, but he was still hard and angered. She turned to leave walking several paces away.

"No grudges!" Orion yelled after her and she spun around to look at him. She smiled, when she saw he was seriously not holding anything against her.

* * *

A/N: I hope everyone reading enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to ask any questions and state any concerns. I'm all ears... and a large helping of belly fat. -snicker- 


	12. A Surprise Game of Bowling for Horses

A/N: Just kind of felt like updating... I haven't read through this chapter yet though. I'm writing something else at the moment.

I don't know if you all will be happy about this, or not, but there is only one more chapter to this story. I had a couple of extra scenes, but they don't really make up much of anything. So the next one will be it.

Don't ask what bowling has to do with anything, or if it should even be in that part of the world or anything - just go with it. I have no idea what was possessing me at the time of my writing this, but it might have something to do with the fact that I had recently cremed my friend at bowling and he was still a little sore about losing - more than once.

* * *

Chaper 12 

"The other way!" Orion yelled. "No, back! Wrong way! What the…?" Orion growled as his ball fell into the gutter. He furiously stamped his foot.

He had one more shot that he could make on this game, he was playing with Ryo. He walked over to a contraption coming out of the floor that he had been most afraid of before, when he saw it produce multicolored heavy balls with three wholes in each.

Ryo explained to him the game of bowling.

_Bowling._ He hated the game now. _The damn lane is too long! It is impossible to roll a ball perfectly straight to knock down those stupid pins that have not moved from their position by the force of this ball, the entire game. They are conspiring against me! _He reasoned.

Ryo laughed from behind him in the spectators chair. He had showed Orion exactly what to do and how to do it, then given him three games alone to shape up his act. This was Orion's final game and he hadn't even knocked down one pin.

Orion looked at Ryo angrily for picking this game to occupy their free time while they waited for a mortal courier to get there. He would be another hour. The courier was bringing them a land title deed which would expand their coven even more and would also serve as a safe house if anyone were to ever need it. A heavily guarded sanctuary.

Needless to say, the courier was already three hours late, but would be delayed another hour. Flying back to the chateau would be pointless, because as soon as they got there they would have to fly back, so staying was for the best.

They had already eaten, and watched a movie, but then there was nothing really to do.

Ryo had picked this game, the only thing he had insisted they do, so Orion easily complied, now he wished he hadn't. Looking at his lover, -he was smiling happily with no complaint in the world watching Orion- he frowned.

Orion turned around, ready to try one last time. His black, sixteen pound ball was waiting for him on the rack. He picked it up, walked onto the platform and walked up to the line. He positioned himself, dead center of the lane and moved the ball backwards, his gaze still on his target, but the ball was taken from him before he could swing.

He looked behind himself and found Ryo, with the ball in his hands. He was smiling, patiently. He pulled Orion off the platform and over to the rack of balls. He put the black ball down and looked at the weight of all the others. A white marble, thirteen pound ball caught his eye. He took it and brought Orion back over to the lane.

Ryo gave Orion the ball and watched him put his first and middle fingers in the top wholes, then he patiently corrected Orion, showing him it was your middle and ring finger that were supposed to go in there, then the thumb.

After that he stood behind Orion and gently grabbed his hips and moved him slightly to the left of the lane, because Orion was right handed.

He pushed his shorter body up against Orion's, sliding his arm over Orion's and running his fingers playfully over Orion's hand.

"Like this." He whispered and moved Orion's arm back, then helped him bend just right when bringing the ball back so that it connected with the ground before he let go of it.

The ball was released and they both watched as the ball screamed down the lane and smashed all the pins away, knocking them down.

Orion jumped around happily and hugged Ryo, lifting him into the air.

"Strike!" He yelled, repeating what Ryo had told him was the best you could do.

Ryo laughed with him.

_I don't have the heart to tell him, it's only a spare, really._ He laughed with Orion.

"You get another shot." He smiled as Orion placed him down gently and kissed his face.

Orion jumped around, ready to try by himself.

"Why?" He wondered. "I thought that was my last chance?"

"If you get a strike or a spare on your last turn then you get another try to make your score the best." Ryo answered.

"How many points can you get in a game?" Orion asked.

"Three hundred." Ryo answered watching Orion's face go pale. "Just shoot your last one." Ryo sighed turning to go back and sit down.

"Aren't you going to play too?" Orion wondered.

Ryo flicked a loose hair behind himself.

"I'll just watch you." Ryo smiled.

Orion got the ball and went to shoot his last shot determined on getting all of them.

* * *

"You did very well." Ryo continued to smile as Orion fumed.

"Out of nine hundred points I could have gotten during the course of the three games, I got twenty-one." Orion replied coldly as they walked down some street, they didn't know the name of.

"It was a very valiant effort." Ryo pulled Orion closer to him, leaning on his shoulder as they walked down the street. Still fifty minutes to kill. "You've never played the game before, that was pretty good. I've seen people get an eight before, a twenty-one is nothing to be ashamed of."

"What did you get on your first game?" Orion wondered. Ryo blushed.

"No much more than you."

"How much?" He repeated.

Ryo looked up into his determined eyes.

"Forty-six."

"And what do you get now?" Orion asked putting his arm around Ryo's shoulders. "Now that you know how to play, what do you get?"

"It's not that important." Ryo smiled.

Orion tugged on Ryo's hair.

"Ow!" Ryo pulled his head free, then turned to Orion annoyed finally. He kissed Orion's hand, now calm again.

"One hundred fifty-five."

Orion smiled.

"You're perfect." Orion leaned into his neck and sucked on the gentle flesh.

"There are people watching." Ryo gasped in his ear, but Orion did nothing more than move out of their way and into an alley, pushing Ryo against the wall.

Ryo knew it wasn't just because they were two males showing affection for each other in public. They still wore their angelic garb, which was quite different from the mortals that walked by them gawking stupidly. Orion's short silver hair and Ryo's lengthy black hair also had something to do with it.

They walked around, for the rest of the time they had to remain there for the courier.

"Remember what you told me?" Ryo wondered, as they walked.

"About the danger still threatening us?" Orion questioned back.

"Yes." He whispered.

"I remember." Orion caressed Ryo's hip.

"It's never really going to go away is it? When you are the best, there will always be someone out there threatening that title and wanting that power." Ryo sighed.

"Of course you are right." Orion answered.

"We shouldn't let this affect us." Ryo continued.

"You are right." Orion nodded. Ryo turned to him.

"You, of course, already knew all this and had already decided that you would ignore it, only letting yourself be aware, but not really worrying." Ryo watched as he smiled. "You are a truly wonderful master." Ryo leaned against Orion comfortably.

They walked in silence for a while.

"After this is over…" Ryo started.

Orion looked down on him curiously.

"Yes?"

"Can we go back to your library?" Ryo wondered. "And just stay there for a few hours, reading together?"

Orion laughed and nodded.

"Anything you want." He replied.

After it was nearly four o'clock the courier finally got there with the signed papers. He found them easily in the crowd and signaled to them that he was there by whistling like a hawk.

They headed into an alley with no windows on either building facing them and the flying Hermes landed next to them.

"I'm so sorry for the wait." He handed Orion the parchment envelope with the wax seal and waited while Orion opened the package and made sure it was all there.

"Thank you." He spoke finally and little Hermes was off. "Now we must visit the place." Orion sighed and borne his wings. Ryo followed suit and they flew quickly away from mortal eyes to the new sanctuary.

* * *

Upon arriving they saw several guards at their lookout posts, ready to strike down any intruders. Many people who had lived here before and taken care of the place had decided to continue living there under Orion and Ryo's rule.

Everywhere was green grass and trees. Trees surrounded the entire area. It wasn't exactly as safe as the mountain they live on, but it was in the side of a mountain and very difficult to spot if you weren't looking carefully.

The entire structure was, however, made of all limestone bricks which the chateau was also made of. The entire mountain was engulfed in trees, making the atmosphere very windy and peaceful.

The castle had belonged to elves, but their race was a dying one. They left the castle in Orion's care, hoping one day they would be able to rise again from the depths and live in this world again instead of in the shadows.

Horses ran freely in a huge paddock adjacent to the barn.

A young stable boy came running up to them as they landed next to the fence of the paddock.

"Hello, Masters!" He bowed. "Would you like me to saddle you some horses to ride?" He asked. It was appreciable that the boy was very well educated for a stable boy.

"No thank you." Orion nodded, smiling his perfect white smile. "We will be riding two of them though, is that all right?"

The boy nodded, he couldn't take his eyes off the angels.

'He's staring.' Ryo noticed.

'He probably has not seen many angels, at his young age. The elves are solitary creatures and probably do not normally associate much with us.' Orion tugged on Ryo's shirt, pulling him out of his trance.

Orion jumped over the fence, his wings now gone, like Ryo's. Ryo winked to the lad, then jumped over it himself.

"They are a bit wild!" The boy yelled after them. "Be careful!"

"Ryo?" Orion wondered, turning to his love, who stood at his side. "Are you able to converse with animals?" He wondered.

"No." Ryo replied. "Only our half feline friends."

"Give me your power then so I can." Orion took Ryo's hand. "Will you help?"

During their discussion the horses had walked farther away from them.

"You want me to lend you my power, like with that mind link?" Ryo asked. Orion nodded and Ryo squeezed his hand.

They concentrated and Orion asked two of the horses to come toward them of their own will. He promised them they would be unharmed.

One completely black Friesian mare came up to Ryo, standing about sixteen hands tall. Another bay Vladimir Heavy Draught stallion, came trotting up to Orion, his mane black, and white socks on his legs.

There were many other horses there, Breton stallions, a few white Boulonnais, several Anglo-Arab horses, chestnut Jutlands, Cleveland Bays, Shires, Icelandic horses, Maremmano beauties, and even tiny ponies. Shetland ponies, Exmoor ponies, Dartmoor babies, Highland fillies, Dales honeys, and even Caspians.

They were all elegant, their coats shining beautifully. They were extremely well taken care of and quite strong, most of their weight was in muscle.

Ryo boarded his horse easily, swinging his right foot over the horse's back with grace. Orion did it just as quickly and gracefully.

"Let's go for a run!" Orion laughed and encouraged his horse to take off running quickly. "I'll race you!" Orion shouted to Ryo and they took off.

"I accept!" Ryo yelled back. He leaned closer to his horse's ear and let the horse feel him do it. "We can't let them win. I know you're much faster than that horse is. Let's show them what your true colors are."

The Friesian bobbed his head once, then took off at full speed, coming up quickly from behind Orion. Ryo slapped Orion on the butt when they got close enough, then resumed his steady movement with the horse, moving as if he were one with the beast.

"You little devil." Orion smirked and pushed his horse into a stronger gallop.

He and Ryo both struggled to move faster, and exchanged the lead several times, but neither was truly in the lead.

'Where are we racing to?' Ryo wondered as they circled the castle for the third time. Orion thought for a moment.

'There!' He pointed to a tall forest which looked far too rocky to go up with a horse.

'How?' Ryo wondered, but as he turned to Orion he was answered. Orion pushed some of his magical energy into the horse and wings quickly protruded from its shoulder blades. The horse took flight soon and was flying to the top of the rocky tall hill. Ryo stopped his horse slowly and they both watched in defeat as Orion reached the top of the hill and waved to them.

Ryo's horse bucked, standing on his hind legs, and kicking at the air frustrated. He held to the horse easily and calmed her back onto the ground. The Friesian horse Ryo rode, turned her head to look at Ryo, who frowned and shrugged.

"I can't do that yet." He admitted. "When I learn how, I'll come back and take you flying. It is very much fun. You will enjoy it." The horse nodded and looked back up to Orion as he flew back down to the ground and made the stallion's wings evaporate.

"I won." Orion smiled. Ryo nodded and pulled his own wings from his body again, lifting himself off the mare and flying above her.

"We should head back." Ryo stretched and yawned deeply and Orion realized how tired he had been the whole day.

"That's why you did not knock down the stone pins with me. You have exhausted yourself again." Orion sighed.

"You are a tough angelic warrior to keep up with." Ryo wiped his eyes, trying to keep himself awake. He turned to the wide horizon and saw the sun starting to set.

Orion rose next to him, his own wings bared.

"I'm sorry I tuckered you out." Orion whispered in his ear.

"Don't worry about it." Ryo sighed. The stable boy came running up to them.

"Are you done?" He wondered.

"Yes, thank you. We shall return tomorrow." Orion replied as the boy took the horses and set off for the stable again.

The poor mare and stallion looked just as tired as Ryo was with all that running around for nearly an hour.

The angels headed back to the chateau and landed before the last rays of sun were gone from the sky.

Orion leaned on Ryo as they walked through the garden. It had been a tiring day of flying to the city and coming back. Long, boring, and dull.

"I'm going straight to bed." Orion sighed, then smirked and grabbed Ryo's ass. Ryo jumped and laughed gently. "Well maybe not _right_ to bed!" He kissed Ryo's neck.

Ryo grabbed his mouth in a kiss, as they reached the door to the dining hall. They lingered there a moment before parting and going in.

"Surprise!"

An entire room of people they knew jumped at them with their hands up and silly noise makers in their mouths.

Ryo squeezed Orion's hand tightly, scared at first. They looked at each other, wondering if the other had known, but deciding they would have found out by then.

"What's all this?" Orion asked as the audience paused for the affect.

"A celebration for you two!" Yuli answered, his arm slinked around Sye's shoulders.

"Why?" Ryo wondered.

"You're the best leaders we could have ever asked for!" Sky replied.

"Wow!" Ryo beamed at them all, pulling Orion closer to himself.

"Thank you all so much!" Orion shouted out and the crowd cheered and started to clear off around the room and get some food and drink.

"Were you surprised?" Zoë asked walking up to them with Sarion at hand. He was so close he practically stood on her.

"Quite!" Ryo answered. "So how have you two love birds been?" Ryo paused rethinking the question. "So how have you love birds and cats been?"

They both laughed and blushed deeply.

"When's the wedding handsome?" Orion wondered staring at Sarion. Zoë turned to him.

"You told!" She snapped.

"I did not!" He replied, trying not to smile.

"Liar!" She laughed.

"No, Zoë," Orion stopped Zoë from hitting Sarion playfully, "it wasn't him. You two are just so damned obvious." He laughed and tugged on Zoë's left gold earring that covered her entire cartilage and sparkled with a diamond dangling from it.

Zoë blushed again. Sarion lifted her into the air and giggled as if they were still going out instead of being engaged.

'How could you tell by her earring that she was engaged?' Ryo wondered seriously.

'Half-cat's get married in any one of their three forms. The only way they can really keep the symbol of marriage still with themselves in each, is if it is a piercing. Necklaces might break, their paws grow too big in their feline form to keep a ring on, so they decided a long time ago to have the symbol of love be an earring.' Orion smiled.

'A little bit of pain to go through for the one you love.' Ryo whispered and felt Orion hug him tighter. 'How sweet.' He smiled.

"You seen your little princess?" Cale wondered stepping up to Ryo, Rowen firmly attached to his hip. Cale glanced over the room and Ryo followed his gaze to the water fountain.

Chandria was standing there talking to that prince fellow Ryo didn't know yet. The kid leaned forward and lightly kissed Chandria on the cheek. She blushed deeply and Ryo turned to Orion. They both seemed rather shocked.

Orion took one step toward the fountain and Ryo had him by his arm, sternly pulling him back and into a short kiss.

He leaned his forehead against Orion's.

"It's only a kiddy kiss. Nothing more." Ryo whispered and kissed his cheek like the prince had kissed Chandria.

Orion smiled and lifted Ryo off the ground slightly. Ryo's bangs tickled his cheeks and Orion loved it.

They laughed gently and Orion put Ryo down.

"How are you guys doing?" Ryo asked, turning back to Cale and Rowen. "What about that vacation I was hearing about?"

"Yeah." Rowen smirked. "I finally got Fuzzy Nuts here," he jutted his thumb toward Cale, "to agree to go on a little trip out to Florida in the U.S.."

Cale punched Rowen's arm for the nickname.

"When are you leaving?" Orion wondered.

"Why? Can't wait to get rid of us?" Rowen queried cheekily.

"Tomorrow." Cale answered.

"Hey, Angel!" A familiar voice shouted from behind them.

They turned to see Nicki and Lei standing tall next to them. Ryo was at a loss for words. No normal human could see their home, yet these twins could?

"What…?" Ryo gasped.

"Don't look so surprised, beautiful Angel." Lei was still as gentle as ever. He caressed Ryo's cheek, pretending Orion wasn't there.

"You knew I was…" Ryo began.

"No." Nicki answered. "Not until you helped heal that illness I had." He smiled cunningly.

"I didn't heal you though." Ryo insisted.

"What do you call it?" Nicki smirked.

"I don't have the ability to cure illnesses. I helped your body start the process, by breathing for you. My body transfers the air you couldn't breathe into pure air and giving that to you helped you sleep and gave your lungs time to heal."

Nicki kissed Ryo's forehead.

"I owe you still." He whispered.

"I'm still confused." Zoë interrupted.

"We aren't really normal people." Lei started looking from Zoë to Ryo. "We came here to get our brother."

"The kid?" Orion snapped.

"Speak of the devil." Rowen whispered as the little prince walked over to them with Chandria.

"Hello!" He said to his brothers.

Lei put his arm around the younger prince and Chandria walked over to Ryo's side. She hugged Ryo.

"Surprise, Lord!" She laughed.

"Thank you, Chandria." Ryo sighed. "Okay, wait!" He looked back to the twins. "Let's get a few things straight first. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." Ryo looked at the boy.

"This is Jordan." Nicki said patting his shoulder. "Prince Jordan. Our father is King of an old fellowship. The old ways are dying though and he wanted us to bring life back to the old ways." Nicki gestured to himself and Lei.

"We would have to fight over the crown though and Nicki and I didn't want to do that." Lei sighed. "We didn't much want it either, so we denied our succession and gave up our royalty, but that makes Jordan the Prince and soon to be King once our father dies."

"Chandria's family and ours have always been good friends and once Chandria was born our families decided that we would one day marry."

Jordan smiled, looking at Chandria. "I have no objection to it."

Lei whacked the back of Jordan's head and he snapped out of his trance.

"So, what kingdom are you heirs to?"

"The Kingdom of Genii." Nicki explained. "Mage Warriors of Wish Magic, descendants of the Genie, and companions of Sky Angels."

"Now I understand." Zoë nodded, then looked to Orion worriedly.

"You know she's dead right?" Orion spoke seriously, with a straight face.

"Who?" The brothers all chimed together.

"Chandria's mother." Ryo whispered looking down to her as he pet her hair. She looked up to him sadly, then took his hand in both of hers and kissed it.

Jordan looked deeply saddened.

"I'm sorry you don't have a family." He whispered, speaking to Chandria.

"It's alright!" Chandria rubbed her cheek against Ryo's hand. "Lord Ryo and Master Orion are my fathers and Mistress Zoë is my mother. I still have a family."

Ryo smiled holding his arm behind his body.

"What's in your hand?" Chandria asked, as Ryo smirked playfully.

"Nothing." He answered, then smiled. She ran around him trying to get the object. Ryo held it in his closed fist over his head. She jumped up in a pathetic attempt to get the present.

Orion laughed from next to them.

Chandria finally called her wings to her and flew up slowly and gently so not to hurt Ryo. He didn't try to get away from her, but instead lowered his hand so she could float in front of him and get the prize.

"Why don't you like to fly?" He whispered when she was right in front of his face.

"I feel _different_." She admitted, looking at Jordan, bashfully.

"Sorry." He sighed inaudibly.

Ryo called his wings to him and floated so he was to Chandria's height.

"Do you still feel odd?" He whispered. She smiled.

"No." She blushed. He opened his hand and a bird went flying through the room. Chandria was shocked and happy. She hugged Ryo.

The small yellow bird with a red face came flying back and landed in Ryo's hand with a tulip in its beak.

Chandria was ecstatic.

"Guess what kind of bird he is." Ryo insisted.

Chandria thought for a minute.

"Parakeet?" She estimated.

He leaned closer to her ear.

"Lovebird." He whispered. She blushed, knowing full well he was serious.

It jumped onto her shoulder. She smelled the flower and landed gently next to Jordan to give him the flower.

He smiled and rubbed her back, just bellow her wings.

Ryo landed next to Orion; the twins smiled at him.

"That was very cool." Nicki exclaimed calmly.

"About this whole marriage thing…" Orion started.

"What?" Lei wondered.

"It may have been decided with Chandria's mother, but she's not here any longer. I'm not going to carry over this binding thing." Orion looked down on Chandria as she listened. "If she wants to marry him, that's fine, if not that's fine too, but she can marry whomever she pleases, not who we tell her to. You got that?" Orion asked looking down on Chandria.

She nodded.

"Dance with me." Ryo whispered to Orion. He looked at Ryo oddly.

"There's no music." Orion replied. Ryo closed his eyes for a moment, then music started to play.

"You're not getting out of this. Call your wings on you." He whispered and squeezed Orion's hand. Orion willingly did that and smiled. They flew up into the air and danced together, twirling this way and that, and even dancing upside down. Their movement was unlimited, but always graceful and free.

"Come down from there, you flying turkeys!" Sephiroth yelled from the ground.

Ryo looked up to see Sephiroth on the floor with Kiara next to him. He closed his wings to him and let himself fall to the floor. He landed on his hands and flipped up onto his feet. Orion gracefully, and slowly, landed next to Ryo.

"Kiara!" Ryo smiled. "It's been a while."

She nodded.

"Last time I saw you, you were in bandages." Kiara's smile was disarming in her human form. Sephiroth's arm hung around her shoulders carelessly. She wore a cute little sundress that showed off her pump breasts and dark skin.

"It's been a while." Orion stated.

"Whose idea was this party?" Ryo asked, leaning on Orion, who realized his exhaustion was catching up with him. He pretended like he didn't notice.

"Well, Franz supplied everything for it, but the idea came from your Ronin friends. Yuli, I think." Sephiroth answered.

"That little rascal!" Ryo turned in his place looking for Yuli. He found him a moment later and left Orion to go speak with him.

"This may sound rude," Orion started and both Kiara and Sephiroth looked up to him, "but I was just wondering, if you two were together?"

"Yes." Sephiroth nodded.

"In love?" Orion asked.

"Yes." They replied together.

"I'm confused then. Last time we were together, Sephiroth was giving you a death glare." Orion spoke to Kiara.

"Oh! _That_!" She blushed. "We had met before he had befriended Arigazi. I wanted him to stay with me in our half-cat forms, but he wanted to explore the world. I threw nasty words at him and in the condensed version of it, told him to fuck off and never come back. He left without another word and I've regretted it ever since."

Orion nodded understandingly.

"She's staying here with me." Sephiroth smiled down on her.

Orion noticed the earrings they also wore and he couldn't contain his smile and looked around for Zoë.

She had walked off somewhere and he couldn't see her right now, but he saw Ryo easily enough. He was laughing with Yuli and Sye, but after their hysterics had calmed down he was yawning and they laughed at his bear yawn.

Yuli wobbled into Sye's grasp –he was drunk obviously. The young one had apparently not started drinking until he came to the chateau. He was underage and enjoying every minute of it.

Orion smiled. Ryo had been very careful with what he drank and how much he drank so he would always be ready and able to fight, but this youth obviously did not take after Ryo as much as they had thought.

He walked over to Ryo and hugged him from behind as he finished yawning again. Orion held Ryo across his chest and kissed his neck. Ryo melted back against him and smiled.

_You're warm._ He thought instantly and his eyes fluttered shut, but he caught himself easily enough and opened his eyes quickly.

He pulled himself away from Orion gently and turned to see Kento and Marcie coming up to them.

"Lord! Master!" Marcie bowed deeply, smiling. Kento looked at her oddly for a second, but said nothing. After she stood up straight, Kento leaned down close to her ear and whispered something inaudible.

She frowned and stamped on his foot. He jumped up and down on his other foot laughing.

"What'd I say?"

"You know very well what you said." She crossed her arms and turned away from him, then remembered Ryo and Orion. "Are you enjoying your surprise?" Marcie wondered stepping up to them.

"Very much." Orion nodded. "Is this what you all were doing all day?" He wondered.

"Almost." She answered. "We did our daily tasks in the morrow, then spent our afternoon preparing this. Everyone has stopped working to celebrate and relax." She laughed.

"How nice." Ryo whispered sincerely, leaning his head on Orion's shoulder, his eyes half closed.

"Ryo." Orion whispered. He lifted his head to look at Orion. "I think we should leave the chateau." He sighed, his face serious, but gentle.

"Leave?" Ryo questioned.

"Probably permanently."

"Leaving! Where?!" Marcie snapped, not meaning to interrupt. She covered her mouth quickly, but tears were gathering in her eyes.

"The elf castle. We were given the deed this afternoon and went to inspect. It is quite suitable to start another coven."

Marcie was about to cry. Kento was speechless.

"Marcie," Orion sighed, "I told you we would be starting a new coven, yes?"

She nodded, then her gaze fell to the ground.

"Marcie." Orion whispered.

Her gaze shot to his, tears falling down her face.

"You may come, if you can find a suitable replacement for yourself to stay here and run things." Orion gasped as she jumped into his arms hugging him. Ryo nearly fell as he stumbled backwards –now not supported by Orion.

Sye thankfully caught him and helped him right himself.

"Thanks." Ryo sighed and stood up stretching.

"Thank you, Master!" She shouted.

Marcie got off of him once her wits came about her again.

Kento was scratching his head.

"How long before you leave?" He wondered.

"Tomorrow." Orion answered.

Marcie turned to Kento, her eyes wide.

"Are you coming?"

"I don't know." He answered, still scratching his head.

"Take your time, Kento." Ryo mumbled. "I don't even know if I'm going yet." He yawned again.

Orion turned his head gracefully to look at Ryo who stared back at him grumpily.

"You need to speak with Zoë." Ryo replied. "Should the Mystic Five stay, or go?"

"It would be better if they stayed here to protect the chateau." Orion replied. "It is really up to them though."

"We'll be staying." Sye added, after briefly speaking with Yuli.

"Okay." Ryo nodded. "It's not a final thing. You can always come visit if you want, it doesn't have to be like this."

They nodded, understanding completely.

"Did I hear something about someone leaving?" Sephiroth asked walking up to Ryo.

"Sephiroth." Orion stepped closer to them. "The deed to the elves' old castle –we got it today. I was wondering if you two would rather live there. It's much more remote and peaceful."

Sephiroth and Kiara exchanged a glance.

"I was merely wondering who was coming and who was staying." Orion was so calm about it.

"Where? Who?" Kiara wondered.

"Who will manage this chateau?" Sephiroth's brow was knitted together.

"Hopefully Zoë." Orion answered.

"Are you going?" Sephiroth looked at Ryo's tired form.

Ryo thought about it for a long moment.

"Yes." He answered.

"I am too then." Sephiroth replied and Kiara nodded as well.

"What about me?" Zoë asked, walking over, her arm around Sarion's waist. "I heard my name."

"Zoë, I want to put you in charge of running this chateau." Orion declared.

She coughed.

"_Excuse_ me?" She paused. "Orion, I _can't_. I don't know _how_! I'm no leader. I take orders and distribute them."

Orion smiled.

"You've been taking orders from me for almost fifty years. I'm positive you know everything you'll ever need to know to run a coven properly."

"What about you?! You planning on dying, or something?!" She snapped.

"No. I'm leaving to start another coven myself." His smile was temperate and calming, but Zoë didn't want to be calm.

"You can't!" She let go of Sarion and stepped closer to him.

"I can." He whispered calmly. "I have done it at least five times already, leaving behind covens and starting new ones. Why do you think there are so many angels? Zoë, you have nothing to worry about. Your powers will develop more over the years like they have already."

"But…" She started to cry and Orion held her gently.

"I know it sounds hard, Zoë." He petted her hair. "You are just used to living with me by now, but we can't live together forever."

"Why not?" She cried, tears falling down her cheeks and Orion laughed wiping them away.

"Just like mortals leave their homes when they are eighteen to start a new home and life with others, so you must also start a new home and help others live and survive."

"Orion." She gasped hugging him tighter and crying on his shirt. Zoë cried for a while, then stood up straight and stared at Orion very determined. "I won't let you down!"

Orion smiled happily and they hugged again. He looked over to Ryo and saw him hugging Sarion. They whispered things to each other then parted quickly.

"Let's never lose touch." She whispered to him and he nodded.

"It will happen eventually." He sighed, still smiling.

"I won't let it." She insisted.

"You will be too busy with your own coven to remember me. We will grow apart." He continued calmly, his stare was disarming.

"How do you know?" She questioned.

"It has happened before." He whispered and a tear came to his eye.

"If it does then we will just have to try and remember the gathering we will have every ten years." Ryo explained and they both looked at him agreeing to the idea. "We will meet here. Whether the chateau still stands or not, it will be here."

They nodded.

Ryo walked away, spotting the Five. He started to speak with them about the same troubles of where they would be living.

Two men came up to Orion, with swords at their sides, and bowed. Orion had met these two and their comrades a week before. They were the new sentries that had come when Ryo was ruling alone. He had made his own little assessment of their fighting skills, by challenging them to a duel. He fought each of them noticing their wonderfully unique styles.

The two presently in front of him were Jason and Toby. They were brothers, Toby being older, but it was hard to tell who was stronger.

They bowed.

"Master, did you say something about leaving the chateau?" Toby asked, his voice deep and strong.

"Yes." Orion nodded. "Several other angels and myself will be leaving the chateau, probably for good."

"What about the rest of us?" Jason wondered, not afraid at all.

"Zoë will stay here and continue to rule in our place." Orion replied. "I would like all six of you to stay here and protect the chateau, I trust you can do this?"

"Yes, Master." They answered bowing again.

"Thank you." Orion smiled.

"When will you be leaving us?" Toby asked.

"Tomorrow."

They seemed shocked for a moment, then recovered.

"We will miss your kind ruling, Master." Jason bowed again.

"We wish you luck." Toby added and they turned to leave.

"Thank you." Orion nodded and smiled.

_That was a little easier than I expected it to be. Who else haven't I spoken to about this?_

"You should address everyone." Ryo answered from beside him.

Orion nodded in agreement.

They made themselves quickly move to the front of the room, on the bottom of the staircase.

Everyone's attention turned automatically onto Orion. Word had already traveled that they were leaving and a lot of people were afraid.

"I'm sure you've all already heard that Ryo and I are leaving the chateau!" There were a few gasps, but mostly everything remained quiet. "Zoë will be in charge of running the chateau from now on! We will be going to the elf castle, quite some distance away. If you wish to stay it is fine, but if you want to go with us then you must inform either Marcie, Zoë, or myself! We will be leaving tomorrow! If you decide to come after that then you will have to find your way or ask someone to come for you!"

They accepted this and started talking amongst themselves:

"Are you going?" "No! Are you?!" "No, I could never imagine leaving here." "Tomorrow! They're leaving so soon?!" "This is more like a farewell party than a celebration."

Many different people, all with different opinions. Orion easily grabbed Ryo and disappeared from sight without anyone really noticing.

They were walking down the hall, leading to the West wing. Neither of them said a word.

They walked in the loving company of each other, until they reached their chamber. Ryo stopped, looking ahead of them, as if he heard something.

Orion turned to him, questioningly. He followed Ryo's glance after he couldn't get him out of his trance.

"What about your library?" He wondered calmly.

"It will come with us." Orion replied, smiling.

"What about the painting?"

"The whole room is coming with us." Orion kissed Ryo's ear.

"How?" Ryo wondered.

"The room isn't supposed to be there. I've had that library for several hundred years. Just recently did I decide to paint the ceiling. Whenever I move somewhere new, I miniaturize the room into a small sphere and take it with me to wherever I am going, then I create a new door and throw the sphere inside. Over night it changes into a library."

"You are so clever." Ryo kissed Orion, then they entered their room.

Ryo created a fire on the hearth and collapsed onto bed, his eyes immediately closed and he was ready for bed.

"Am I too much for you?" Orion asked straddling Ryo on his hands and knees. He leaned over him, until his shadow from the fire was covering Ryo's face.

Ryo opened his eyes, looking up at Orion's playful face.

"It's a sad thing when a twenty-three year old boy can't keep up with a two thousand year young man." Ryo rubbed Orion's strong forearms gently. "I'm not as powerful as you are, forgive me." His head fell to the side, his eyes half open.

"Look at me." Orion whispered. Ryo swiveled his head back to Orion. "You don't give yourself enough credit. What's bothering you?"

"Why would you want someone as young as I am, especially being the angel you are? You tease spirits merely by living. They wish they could live, only to be able to gaze on your beauty more closely. I am not half the angel you are. I was not even born an angel. I don't deserve you." Ryo's gaze was steady as a tear ran down his cheek.

"Oh, Ryo, is that what you think?" Orion kissed his tear, licking his face. "You could not be farther from the truth." He whispered. "Your age does not determine your abilities. I used to believe it did, until I met you. I always believed you to be a child that I must look after, a burden, then you proved me wrong, first by defying me, then by destroying a warrior I could not, twice."

Ryo shook his head.

"I know what you speak of. The Acolyte leader, then the angel leader, that nearly killed you." He shook his head still. "You are the one who is wrong. You had fought those warriors before me and wore them down until they were desperate and they used their last trick on you. I came after and defeated them with my greater strength because they were caught off guard and weaker."

"That isn't true." Orion laid himself on Ryo's body. "Am I heavy?" He wondered.

"No." Ryo answered, sighing.

"I believe if we had worked together like we did in so many more fights after that, rather than working apart, for those two, then we would have been able to defeat those warriors without being hurt."

Ryo didn't reply.

"Do I have to again go over why I am madly in love with you? Must I repeat it, because I will. Age has nothing to do with it. I love you with all my heart." He sighed. "Something else bothers you?" He was very gentle; patient. "If you don't want to…"

"Orion!" He gasped, crying and wrapped his arms around his love. "I'm sorry, I'm saying this to you. It does bother me though, like it used to bother you. I hope it doesn't now."

"What made you think of it? Surely this hasn't been bothering you for too long?" He murmured in Ryo's ear, petting his hair gently.

"No. It was because we are moving away from the chateau." He stopped for a second. "I always assumed we would stay here forever. I thought you would stay dedicated to this coven for all time."

Orion laughed gently, but not mocking him.

"I've been creating coven's since the 1200's. Almost one hundred and fifty years I dedicated to each coven before I left them to flourish. How long would you be able to stay with the same people doing the same things all the time? I can't guide these angels forever. Perhaps I should stay with them a while longer, but Zoë is perfect to lead them and I have already started everything for her. I haven't put in so few of years before, but I've not had it so easy before. They were like my trials and this time I got it more right. Even with our disaster of losing so many, it still went well."

Ryo nodded once.

"Do you want to sleep?" Orion asked sweetly.

"No." Ryo answered and kissed him. "I'll never get to sleep," he responded and twirled Orion under himself on the bed, he threw off his shirt, "you are too damn enticing."

Orion laughed again, his perfect white smile lighting up the room and Ryo captured his mouth.

* * *

A/N: One chapter left. Including an epilogue at the end. 


	13. Surprises and Pets

A/N: The final chapter. I'm sorry I'm a dumbass and it took so long for me to post this, but… I'm a dumbass… I don't have a better excuse.

Thanks to Evan, without whom this never would have been posted! –kisses-

* * *

Chapter 13

Morning time came and Ryo awoke in a cold sweat and an empty bed.

"Orion." He called. "Orion!" He yelled after he didn't get a response. He waited another moment, but still nothing.

Ryo jumped up and searched for Orion. He looked desperately. He had had a nightmare of Orion dying, and he had to make sure Orion was still there. He couldn't find Orion's power. He ran outside the door and looked around. A light came from the library door; it was slightly cracked open. He ran to it and pushed it open.

He looked around the spherical room quickly.

"Ryo?"

He heard Orion's voice, his own breath coming in pants, he had been so afraid. Orion was flying near the ceiling looking at a book on the top shelf. He was looking down at Ryo worriedly.

Ryo stumbled into the room, thrusting the door shut behind him.

"Orion." He gasped in tears. Orion was by his side in an instant. He sat with Ryo on the floor, he himself still with his wings, in front of Ryo.

Ryo grabbed him, holding to him for dear life.

"My love!" He gasped.

"What's wrong?" Orion asked rubbing his back. "You're shaking!"

Ryo looked up to him. "I had a nightmare that you were killed and I could do nothing about it! You were so far away! I tried to help, but…"

Orion fondled Ryo, stroking his hair patiently. "I'm here. I'm not dead. You have me."

"It was so real." Ryo stammered and kissed Orion's neck.

"I dreamt the same thing." Orion replied breathily. Ryo's head shot up. "You were the one that died in my dream though. I woke up in the middle of the night and found you lying next to me. I held you for –I don't know how long- then came here to think on it."

"Why didn't you wake me?" Ryo demanded.

"I did not want to trouble you." He retorted.

"You trouble me more by not saying something." Ryo pulled away from him.

"It tears me apart to see you in pain and yet I know I caused your nightmare."

"How?" Ryo furrowed his brow.

"Not on purpose, but unconsciously. I was troubled so deeply by the night terror that it merely carried over to you. We are connected, by blood, by power, and by love. My thoughts easily carry over to you without you even trying to read them as do yours to me."

Ryo nodded.

"I understand." He moaned. "I couldn't sense your power though!" He exclaimed.

"Oh," Orion shrugged with an apologetic smile, "this library is meant to be unplottable, so there is no way to find the location unless you know of it. The only way to keep the room from being discovered because of its magic inside was to put a sort of wards up that blocks all magic inside the room from being able to be felt outside of that doorway. I'm sorry to worry you."

They sat there in silence for a period of time. "What were you doing?" Ryo wondered, gesturing to the book.

"Reading something I wrote a while ago, when I was in a time of depression." He lifted the book up and handed it to Ryo.

"You? Depressed?" He retorted disbelievingly. Orion nodded. Ryo took the book and looked at the title:

_Black Hearts_

"What's it about?"

"How I felt; how everything around me spoke of hate. I wrote half of the book, before my depression ended, then I wondered how I would finish it. I thought I would wait until another depression came to me. Every writer and painter has a black period –mine was just every couple of hundred years."

Ryo flipped through the pages and saw that the book was finished.

"It's done?" He looked up to Orion, who still had his wings with him.

"Yes." He nodded and took the book from Ryo. He flipped through about half of it and gave it back to him.

It was a picture of two lovers together in the blackness, and the sun rising in the background, shining light over the darkness; life being borne.

The opposite page read:

_Something Lost & Found_

Ryo glanced up to Orion, then turned the page and started to read a little.

It was a description at first of a heavenly angel that had crossed his path, with beauty and strength, saving him from his emptiness. When he came across his name he snapped the book shut and blushed deeply.

Orion tossed his short hair back gently, leaning on his left arm and seductively staring at Ryo.

They both smiled and rose. Ryo handed the book to Orion who flew back to the other side of the room to put it away.

He flew to Ryo again and pushed him toward the exit.

"We have work to do if we are to leave today." Orion whispered in his ear and landed beside him turning back to the room and lifting his arms. He called some magical force to him that Ryo couldn't see and the room started to glow brightly.

"What's that?" Zoë asked as she and Sarion came down the hall toward them and stopped in shock as Orion made the door –that she didn't know was there- completely disappear and only a small ball floated there afterward, the wall solid again. Ryo caught it easily enough and turned to them.

"What was that?" Sarion asked, closing Zoë's gaping mouth. She had seen a bit of the inside of the room before it had disappeared.

"A library." Orion answered calmly.

"We have a library?" Zoë questioned, gaining her wits back.

"Had." Orion corrected, without being impolite. "It's mine. I put it in the wall with magic and now I'm taking it with me."

She nodded.

"Okay." She frowned. "You are really leaving today." She sighed in resignation. He nodded. She hugged him as softly as she could and kissed his cheek. "You understand, I can't watch you go; it would hurt too much."

He nodded. She turned to Ryo and kissed him, then rested her whole body against him. He held her as if they were lying on a bed and just resting.

"Ten years." She whispered. "Hopefully before then, but if we lose contact, remember."

He nodded again.

"Of course."

After she let Ryo go, Sarion embraced him for an even longer amount of time.

'You better take good care of her.' Ryo ordered. Sarion kissed his collarbone.

'You trust me, don't you?'

'Must you ask?'

'Then don't worry. She comes before the universe.'

Ryo squeezed Sarion tighter and they separated. He realized it was quite drafty, then realized he hadn't even put on a shirt when he had left their room.

Orion didn't seem cold at all, even though he also wasn't wearing anything to cover his chest.

Sarion bowed to Orion as if they were ready to leave, but no one moved.

Ryo turned toward his room without another glance to Zoë and entered. Orion followed suit and Zoë continued down the hall to her room, Sarion behind her.

"Dress!" Orion uttered calmly. "We should leave soon. No sense in making it as hard as it seems. We don't want everyone crying over us; we'll never get out of here."

Ryo laughed and nodded.

He dressed in his usual guise and waited on the bed while Orion dressed.

"Anyone that is coming with us will have to come later. We have things to do today at this new castle and we have little time."

"Are we leaving everything else here?" Ryo wondered and his glance fell on the picture above the fireplace. "You hung it up." He whispered.

Orion was on top of him quickly, their faces inches apart.

"You like it?"

"She's a wonderful artist, isn't she?" Ryo smiled. "She should stay here, don't you think?"

"Probably. Zoë will show her better values and ideals than we will be able to, especially since we are so busy all of the time." Orion concurred.

"You didn't answer me. Are we bringing anything else with us, besides the picture?"

"No." Orion answered.

"Not even clothes?" Ryo raised his brow, his hands all over Orion's chest.

"Only what you wear. We are starting totally anew."

Ryo kissed him smiling and agreeing.

"The only thing that won't start anew is our love." Ryo smirked, playing with Orion's hair teasingly.

"We should head off." Orion whispered, then kissed Ryo. They stood and Ryo grabbed the painting off the wall.

"Let's say good-bye to her." Ryo insisted, so they strode down to the South wing for the last time and jumped the stairs. "Chandria!" Ryo shouted and she came running up to them.

"Master! Lord!" She was beaming, in a cute blue dress, with her blonde hair up in a bun. "Are you here to eat something?"

The young Prince Jordan was right beside her.

"No, we came to say good-bye." Ryo answered softly as he placed the painting against his leg, his arms open. Chandria started to cry.

"You are really leaving." She gasped and ran into Ryo's arms. He picked her up as if her weight was nothing and kissed her cheek. "You can't leave without me. I have so much to learn from you both. My fathers!"

"Chandria, you are such a wise child, you will learn everything you need to easily from Zoë. She really is a better teacher than we are." Ryo patted her back.

"No! You can teach me, why don't you? Take us with you." She referred to the prince as well.

"Your place is here, where your home is. We will move around so much Chandria and constantly be on the advance." Orion stated. "You are not old enough to be out with us hunting and what not. It is too dangerous. Zoë will teach you those skills when the time has come for it."

Chandria opened her arms for Orion to take her, but he merely caressed her cheek and took her hand.

"This is not forever." Orion whispered.

"It feels like it." She replied.

"Perhaps, but it isn't. Stick close to Zoë and you will see us sooner than you think. Question everything she does and you will find our teachings behind everything she says."

Chandria nodded.

"Live free, rule well, die strong." She whispered and placed her hand on his cheek, her other on Ryo's. "Fly carefully. I believe in you both." They smiled and Ryo put Chandria down, picking up the painting again, Orion now had the sphere library and with a smile down to the young couple they were off.

They called their wings and were near the door before Sephiroth jumped onto Ryo's back, nearly toppling him over, but he kept his balance and steadied himself.

"Sephiroth?" Ryo snapped irritably.

"You didn't think you could leave without saying good-bye, did you?"

The question struck Ryo oddly and he wondered if it were ever possible to do such a thing.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Ryo retorted.

"Yes." Sephiroth laughed.

"Then there is no reason to say good-bye." Kiara giggled from behind them and pulled Sephiroth down off of Ryo. "We are running, not flying, remember?" Kiara questioned.

"Of course." Sephiroth snapped and kissed her. "That's all you're bringing?" Sephiroth asked the angels, who nodded.

"That's all you're bringing?" Ryo replied, gesturing to Kiara and they all broke out in laughter. "Let's go."

They set off toward their new home and new adventure.

"Isn't anyone else coming?" Sephiroth wondered, while the angels still flew within hearing distance.

"Yes." Ryo answered. "The Mystic Five are coming with us. They will find their own way. Marcie is looking for a replacement for herself, but she will most likely be coming as well."

"Who will guard the chateau?" Kiara inquired.

"The new sentries. They are quite skilled actually." Orion said calmly.

"Good." Ryo smiled, he flew closer to Orion and grabbed his hand. "A new adventure and nothing to worry about, but ourselves."

* * *

_Epilogue_

"We are going to be late!" Zoë cried out, her long hair flying behind her as she flew, faster than she thought she knew how. Her golden locks now passed her butt, barely. She had cut it several times over the years, before finally just letting it grow.

"You never actually set a time with them." Chandria replied –ever the voice of reason. "You will not technically be late until tomorrow." She flew beside Zoë, easily keeping pace with her. Her power had flourished over the years that they had all been apart. Zoë and Chandria hadn't seen their Master and Lord for ten years now.

Chandria had sent many letters to them for Zoë because she had been too chicken to do it herself.

Their friends had sent gifts every holiday that angels celebrated: Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and their birthdays of course, etc.

Chandria was now sixteen years old and Zoë was sixty-two. For her sixteenth birthday, Chandria had received a golden bow and quiver set to mark her right-hood as an adult angel and female hunter because that is exactly what she had become, practicing with a sling shot and stones, she had just recently before that acquired a bamboo bow and arrows, but this was a wonderful gift.

She had wanted to visit Ryo to thank him for the gift, but he was away to Antarctica again, tracking down someone.

Orion had got her a gold handled sword. It was a slim blade like she preferred to use, with a leather hilt and a diamond embedded in the center of the handle. It was her birth stone. The sword itself was made of a strong tempered elfin metal and made unbreakable by Orion's magic.

She wore red now which was her hunting outfit, and favorite color, that Zoë had given her. Her body was thin and strong, her abdomen was tight, her breasts round and plump; she had become quite the thing to look at.

Her pants were black and tight, her knee high boots were red leather, with a black heel, and her belly shirt was red. She wore her short hair up, her blue eyes heavily on Zoë. They had become working partners, not mother and daughter.

Her hand was on her bow which she had put over her head and one arm so it was across her chest. Her arrows were in a quiver securely attached to one of her belts.

Zoë had caught her right in the middle of her hunt. She was about to snare a bear, but Zoë had insisted they leave that instant and the bear had been alerted and was gone.

"I want to get there before they do." Zoë stated grumpily, she had overslept and rushed out the door when she realized the time.

"Why are we going back to the old chateau?" Chandria questioned. "We left that place a few years ago because mixed-mortals had somehow found us there."

"I know." Zoë sighed recalling the situation. She had cried furiously because they were forced to leave the place. "It is where we promised to meet though. No matter what happened to it, even if it burned down."

"Alright." Chandria agreed, closing her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind on her face. Ever since the day before their angels had left, Chandria had enjoyed flying more than anything and it helped her hunting skills now that she used her wings instead of ignoring them.

She looked down to her belts and searched through her pouches until she found one with a silver necklace in it. She put it around her neck.

The cross necklace had been given to her by Orion for good luck on the hunt, but it had been torn off by a mountain cat that was twice her size. She had been so pissed off that she punched the cat into a nearby tree. He was down and out for the count for a week. Chandria had given it to Zoë to fix and had gotten it back that morning.

She kissed it.

"I can see it." She yelled as the clouds started to clear and they could see what used to be their wondrous chateau. They frowned. It was overrun with vines and ivy. Anything and everything that could grow there was there and had taken over the place.

"Damn it." Zoë growled, talking to the plants.

"Look!" Chandria gasped, she pointed to the garden, which looked like the only thing that hadn't been taken over with weeds. A wide array of flowers bloomed in the middle and right in the center of it all was Orion. More flowers bloomed at his feet as he stood there patiently waiting for them.

A dead tree near him started to come back to life, from his beautiful radiance. He was smiling, the wind blew his hair back and they saw how long it was now. It used to be so short after he'd cut it, but now he had grown it all back and more.

There was only a tie near the small of his back to keep it all together, but another three feet of silver hair shined below him. His bangs were loose and charming. He was truly what any mortal would define as an angel. His wings were glossy and white, the purest.

As they landed, they noticed his beautiful crystal blue eyes hypnotizing them. Chandria remembered to breathe and closed her mouth quickly when she realized it was open.

"Orion." Zoë murmured breathily, mesmerized. "Did you have to wait long?" She could scarcely form the words.

He shook his head gently, calmly; always calm.

He was floating, not even touching the ground at all. A totally new ensemble accompanied him as well. His garments were thin and frail, but he didn't seem cold. It was a breezy mountain, but the sun was shining down on them.

His pants were loose, his boots had no toe or heel and covered his ankles, wrapping under his foot. His white shirt was tight until the sleeve, which sagged and collected at his wrist. A light blue cloth belt was wrapped around his waist with slack blowing about beside him. He wore an over coat which was open, but covered all of him to his knees.

It seemed there was nothing really to say; they merely stared at him and he smiled back.

"Chandria, you have grown into quite the attractive young lady." He complimented. She snapped out of her trance and hugged him.

"Father." She whispered into his chest, something she hadn't called anyone or even spoken for ten years. "Thank you for my presents. You knew exactly what I wanted." She was smiling and crying at the same time.

Chandria stepped back and noticed that only small sun flowers bloomed near her –not like the orchids, tulips, and roses that grew up near Orion. The small flowers that bloomed came to life very close to Chandria, but Orion's power gave off such ripples that a rose bush had grown back into maturity seven feet behind him.

"Sorry, we were late." Zoë blushed. "I overslept, then I had to find her."

Orion shook his head.

"No need to apologize. We did not set any certain time, and besides, I would wait until the end of time to be able to see you both again."

They both blushed deeper, smiling.

"Where is he?" Zoë asked calmly, trying to hold back tears as she looked at Orion and memories rushed back to her.

"Dragon poachers found Dante." Orion replied, referring to the dragon Arigazi had raised and given to Ryo a few years back. "Ryo found a nice mental institute for the poachers, who were in a raving fit. He brought Dante to Antarctica this morrow and is on his way here."

Orion's glance fell to the sword Chandria carried on her belt; it was the one he had given her.

"You just came off the hunt." He stated, knowing it from her thoughts and appearance rather than needing to ask. "What does that prince of yours think of you hunting like that?" He asked.

"He is king now." Chandria retorted frowning. "He wants me to go with him to his kingdom and become his queen. I do not know what to do."

"What do you want to do?" He asked, still smiling.

"I don't know." She said, frustrated.

"You want to hunt." He answered looking into her wide eyes. "I can feel it."

She blushed and nodded. "What about…?" She started.

"No." Orion flew up to her and caressed her cheek. "You are young and beautiful. He will always be there and he might get married, but if he truly loves you then he will not care what you do. It might end up that he turns away from you, but that is alright because you are gorgeous and will probably meet some hunter that will want to marry you for you, and will enjoy the passion you have for hunting."

Chandria laughed and nodded. "I've missed you so much." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"How is your coven?" Zoë asked, regaining her voice.

"It is not really a coven. More of a gumbo of people under my authority." He smiled. "Where do you live now?"

"Australia." Zoë answered. She took steps toward him and he let Chandria go. He could see she was fighting tears.

"Are you too ashamed to weep on me?" He wondered, still smiling. "Grown too old, have you?" He wondered. She laughed as tears fell down her cheeks and she fell into his warm arms.

"How is Sarion?"

"As beautiful as ever and twice as wise. He is impossible to get along with sometimes; he is always goddamned right!" She laughed into his neck.

"How cute."

Zoë and Chandria's gazes shot up to Orion's left to see Ryo sitting in the tree Orion had brought back to life and now Ryo was helping it to flourish with life. A red cardinal sat on his shoulder, but moved away from him after a while.

As Ryo sat there new buds started to come from the tree.

Orion turned to him smiling still. "How was your journey, my love?"

"Tiring." He replied and visibly weakened in appearance for a moment, then returned to his astounding self. "Ten hours straight of flying as fast as I could. I thought I was going to miss you." He smiled looking down on Chandria and Zoë who were aghast.

Ryo's hair was longer than Orion's. His was tied farther down than Orion's, then twisted so you could see the lovely contrast of black and, the more defined, silver hairs. At the very end it was tied again.

A red rose was tucked behind his ear. Chandria recognized it as the one Orion had given to Ryo on his birthday celebration ten years ago.

As Ryo jumped from the tree and landed next to Orion –still floating- they could tell he had also grown another few inches. He was still shorter than Orion, but it was a noticeable difference in growth.

His eyes were a much darker blue than before, with a green rim around the outside of his pupil.

His garb was much the same as Orion's only black instead of white. His sleeves weren't baggy, and at his hand a lace wrapped around his thumb and middle finger with the sleeve. It was a style taken up by most archers.

His shoes also had no heel or toe and opened at the top of the shoe. They were laced around his ankles.

He kissed Orion and Chandria got the distinct impression of an angel and demon. It was almost humorous. The only thing that betrayed her idea was that Ryo's wings were white, not black.

Ryo turned to Chandria, his coat falling off his shoulder, but he didn't care.

"Did you like your gift?" He wondered.

She nearly jumped out of her skin, she was again staring. "Thank you." She bowed.

"There is no need for that." He opened his arms to her and she jumped into his grasp without hesitation.

"My fathers." She sighed. "The bow and arrows were perfect." She looked up to Ryo beaming and blushing. "I could not have asked for anything more exact and faultless."

"I thought you might like it." He kissed her forehead and took the rose from behind his ear and slid it behind hers. She was ecstatic and admiring it, without moving it.

"You two." Zoë whispered as Chandria reluctantly pulled away from Ryo. "You are beautiful."

Ryo and Orion glanced at each other, then back to Zoë.

"We know." They chimed and Zoë fumed. It was nothing but laughter for a moment, then silence.

"Zoë, you have done very well with your coven." Orion moved closer.

"How do you know?" Chandria and Zoë questioned in unison. Orion laughed.

"A few years back, before you moved to Australia, Ryo and I came by, headed to Japan on business and we came here to see how you were. You were very busy doing something and everyone was running about so we decided against disrupting you." Orion answered.

"You should have dropped by. I do not care how busy we are! We will drop everything for you two!" Zoë pleaded. They both nodded.

Ryo swiveled his head to Orion and they looked at each other for a short period of time.

"Something wrong?" Zoë asked.

"Would you like to come to supper?" Orion asked, looking back to Zoë and now Chandria.

Chandria smiled immediately and nodded. "Yes!"

"I doubt so." Zoë sighed biting her thumb, debating.

"I am coming." Chandria nodded and ran up to Ryo embracing him again.

Ryo laughed, stroking Chandria's hair. She enjoyed the feel of his feather soft skin on hers.

"Now wait just a minute…!" Zoë grumbled.

"Zoë." Orion solaced. "She is an adult. You remember when I ruled I never _made_ anyone do anything. I asked them if they would. It was their choice and so it is Chandria's."

"She is under my leadership now, Orion." Zoë argued and Orion's smiling gaze never faltered. She felt bad for her harsh words, but continued. "She will do as I tell her to, adult or not. You are not ruling over us any longer."

"Unfortunately." Chandria added, but Zoë paid her no mind. Ryo lifted her chin up and smiled. She stopped frowning and held Ryo tighter, resting her head on his chest.

"You are right, Zoë." Orion replied. "It is up to you. Would you allow Chandria to come with us if you will not?"

Chandria glared at Zoë pleadingly while she still held Ryo.

"Sarion has just returned from his trip remember?" Zoë repeated what she had said earlier as they had flown. "We can not stay long."

Chandria scowled and dug her face into Ryo's neck. She was cold and tired of Zoë ordering her around. It had taken a week of begging and pleading just for Zoë to let her come today.

"I have missed you both for ten years. At first it was fine, but over the years I have craved your company more and more. I want to live with you." She whispered to Ryo. "I want to learn from you, to hunt with you, to be near you both."

Ryo sighed and looked at Orion again.

"Come on, Chandria, Sarion is waiting. We will see them again soon." Zoë waited, but Chandria didn't move.

Orion moved closer to Chandria and covered her head with his hand gently. "Chandria." He whispered in her ear.

"I want to stay with you two!" She cried out in frustration.

Zoë looked broken. It hit her hard and she looked away at the ground. Chandria floated off the ground and closer to Ryo's face. She placed her hand on Ryo's cheek.

"I am an adult; if I want to, I can live with you, right?"

Ryo didn't look away from her, but he knew Zoë was furious.

"Did I ever make you do anything, Chandria?" He asked. "Have I ever told you that you _must_ do something because I say so?"

"No." She replied calmly.

"Knowing that, do you really need to ask me that question?"

She shook her head.

"I do not understand it!" Zoë growled, sitting on the ground in her place. Her head in her hand –a scowl on her face. She looked like a fuming child.

"What do you not understand?" Orion questioned.

"You did everything perfectly." Zoë replied looking up to him. "I have tried to do just what you did only I did it my way. For the most part it is working, but there is so much work and…"

"Zoë." Orion sighed. "Do you remember Stephano?"

Zoë's glance fell on Ryo. "Does he…?" She briefly pointed to Ryo.

"Yes, he knows about him, but do you remember him?" Orion smiled again.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Do you remember how much I relied on him when you were young?"

She nodded.

"Then he decided that he could not be around us any more. He wanted to find his own life and dreams and follow a different path than I had set for him."

Zoë realized the connection. "You let him go." She sighed. "Is that what you are telling me to do?" She looked back up to him.

"No." He smiled. "I am only telling you what would have happened if I had made him stay with me. He would have grown to hate me for not letting him go. He would have blamed me for his discontent. Just as I do not hold Ryo to me, I would not hold Stephano to me, nor did I hold any of you to me. When you grew up into a mature woman I gave you plenty of opportunities to go off and be what you wanted, but you wanted to stay. Chandria does not." He placed his hand on Chandria's head, then turned back to Zoë. "Your methods worked for everyone that was not under my rule to begin with because they were just meeting you and they grew accustomed to you easily, but everyone else had been under my rule from the start."

Zoë nodded. "I see what you mean." She sighed resignedly. "I am sorry Chandria. It is just that I feel you are all leaving me and I will be alone. I want to come too, but I have my own coven to run and my husband. Will I be tied to the coven forever, or might I be able to be free one day?"

"You can leave your coven when you know they can survive by themselves. No one else will look after them for you. Perhaps if you have a successor, but no one else, usually."

Orion's advice was very valid. She stood and dusted herself off.

"Chandria, you may go with them for supper. I must go back to greet Sarion." She smiled.

Chandria walked up to Zoë and hugged her.

"If you let me go, I am not coming back for another ten years." She whispered.

"You would have to leave me eventually. Think about it and make your decision, just as long as you are happy." Zoë replied and let her go.

Chandria leapt into Ryo's arms. He was calm and smiling. Orion hugged Zoë and kissed her.

"Come visit some time." He whispered and she wallowed in his warmth.

"You too." She smiled.

"You will have to write your own letters now." He heard her chuckle.

"I suppose so. Good-bye." She smiled and waved as she flew away, back to Australia, going South.

"I have you both." Chandria exclaimed holding Ryo tightly. "What shall we do first?"

"What we set out to do." Orion answered and came closer, calmly. He placed his hand on Ryo's stomach and kissed him. "Eat supper."

"And tomorrow?" Chandria asked enthusiastically as they flew up higher.

"Tomorrow?" Ryo laughed. "Tomorrow, we hunt!"

Chandria was ecstatic.

They flew off toward the sun that would set in a few hours in the east.

"Can I have a dog?" She asked and Ryo broke out into laughter.

_**Fin**_


End file.
